The Brightest Ember (Sequel to The Darkest Bond)
by nightmooncat
Summary: Five years have passed and Sebastian and Ciel's relationship is still strong. The demon has noticed that while the Earl grows older he remains the same. Aging as a human comes with its own challenges as Ciel must adjust to what is expected of a young man. And the killings are starting again...
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, everyone! It's time for the much anticipated sequel to The Darkest Bond. I hope everyone is as excited to read this story as I am to write/share it.**

* * *

 _ **London, England, 1894**_

The last rays of sunlight glinted off the shop windows as evening settled over London. The air was still cool, but it was warming slightly, indicating that spring was on the way. The last traces of snow had vanished the previous week and residents were beginning to spend more time walking the streets outdoors instead of running for the safety and warmth of their homes. However, that night more people had elected to stay in, making the walkways nearly deserted.

A young man walked out of a nearby shop, turning up the collar of his coat as a breeze blew past him. He sighed softly, trying to ignore the crushing defeat that had once again befallen him inside the store, having attempted unsuccessfully to court the lady inside. She was adamant that she was happy with the relationship she was in. What she saw in the strange, giggly, silver-haired owner was anyone's guess.

He glanced at his reflection as he passed a tailor's, pausing to take a closer look. He was quite handsome, much better looking and definitely younger than the other man. His skin was pale but smooth, his eyes the color of chocolate. He ran a hand through his dirty blonde locks and straightened the plum-colored tie at his neck. The momentary insecurity he had felt as he'd exited the funeral parlor was driven from his mind. No, he was a perfect looking specimen. The woman would be lucky to have him.

With a shake of his head, he continued on. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't see a shadowy figure slip from the alley between two of the buildings. It followed him along the cobblestone path, keeping a sizable distance from him, its footsteps light and its face obscured by a hood.

The man pushed open the door to a nearby pub and the figure stalled outside. It paused, as though debating whether to go in or not, and then steeled its resolve and followed.

The atmosphere inside the pub was a stark contrast to the quiet street outside. Here everything was loud. There was raucous music and a variety of voices filled the air, making it impossible to distinguish any single conversation from the others. Nearly every seat was filled, but the man made his way toward a table near the back, hidden in the shadows. He sank down in one of the chairs and a waitress came over. He ordered a drink and sat back to observe the room while he waited.

A few moments later, the drink was delivered, and he was surprised as a figure settled itself into the chair opposite him without invitation. He was about to tell them that the seat was taken and they would do well to vacate it as soon as possible when pale hands drew back the dark hood revealing their face.

All thoughts of the woman in the funeral parlor were driven temporarily from his mind. For sitting across from him was another female, even more beautiful, looking as though she had been carved from a block of Renaissance marble herself. Long blonde hair fell in soft waves around her face and her dark blue eyes regarded him with interest, her red lips curled in a smirk.

"Mr. Turner," She said. Her voice was low and raspy.

"My lady," He inclined his head. "Call me Warren. With whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?"

"Marina," She said. "Marina Beaumont."

There was a flicker of recognition over the man's features. He leaned forward in interest. "Beaumont—you're not related to Silas Beaumont, are you?"

The woman smiled, but her eyes looked sad. "He was my father."

"Was?" Warren tilted his head. She had definitely said it in the past tense. "Then it's true—he's dead. I had heard rumors, but didn't know whether they were accurate. I'm so sorry, my lady."

Marina shook her head. "It's alright. It's been five years now. The past is past. He wasn't a young man."

"Still," Warren reached across the table and gripped her hand. He held it for a moment until she glanced down and he drew back. "Sorry—I forgot myself. I shouldn't have touched you without permission."

Marina's hand shot forward and grasped his in answer. Her fingers were cold, but that made sense. It wasn't exactly warm outside. Her gaze was electric and Warren found himself being drawn in though he wasn't exactly sure why. He'd never laid eyes on the woman before, though he had heard talk of her.

Her father had been Silas Beaumont, a very celebrated and world-renowned actor. He'd last performed in London, doing a bit at a small theater in an effort to get back to his roots. Though the performance wasn't as grand as some of the others he'd partaken of in the past, it had been a roaring success throughout the city. He'd had a rather exclusive party at his estate just outside of town and then…he'd simply vanished.

He'd heard stories of course that something tragic had happened. A few days later the estate had been found to have suffered a fire and burned to the ground. Very little of the structure was left outside of the stone foundations. It had been rumored that bones had been found among the remains, implying that perhaps Silas had been involved in some shady practices. He thought about mentioning this to the female who sat before him, but couldn't quite bring himself to say the words.

"So, what can I help you with?" He asked.

"What makes you think I want something?" Marina asked. She produced a bottle from somewhere within her cloak and sipped at it. It was filled with a dark liquid that Warren supposed must be wine. She was certainly a different sort of woman than he had first thought.

"Well, you came in here and sat down without invitation," Warren pointed out. "I don't know you, and I'm quite sure you don't know me."

"You're right," Marina said. "I don't know you, but I wouldn't be opposed to changing that. However, I do know _one_ thing about you."

Warren hummed. He was quite enjoying this…whatever it was that was going on between them. He took a sip of his drink and glanced up at her over the rim of the glass, a smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"I know that you're interested in the girl in Undertaker's shop," Marina said.

"How would you know that?" Warren said, his smile fading. He shifted in his chair uneasily.

"I've seen you around," She smiled. "Seen you come out of there more than once on my travels around the city. Besides, the fact that you're not denying it just proves my point."

"Fair enough," Warren said. "So, what is your goal here?"

"I want something as well," Marina said. She took another long drink from her bottle and tucked it back inside her cloak.

"What's that?"

"I have a little project I need some assistance with," Marina moved closer, her eyes flashing. She smirked and her teeth glittered in the dim light of the pub. "Do you know Ciel Phantomhive?"

"No, can't say I've met the man personally," Warren, said. "He owns that toy company, right?"

"Among other things," Marina said. "But I have a bit of a bone to pick with him. You provide me with service to my plan and I'll help you secure what you desire most. You want Adeline Crawford, correct?"

Warren nodded.

"Alright," Marina grinned. "Shall we begin?"

* * *

Ciel sighed and rolled over, his hand searching through the darkness for Sebastian. Though the demon didn't need rest, he spent the night more often than not in the Earl's bed, which was how Ciel preferred it. He liked the idea of Sebastian keeping the manor running smoothly while he slept, having everything ready to go from the moment he awoke. However, that was nothing compared to how he felt having the other near him. And for a butler as capable as Sebastian, things could be accomplished in no time anyway.

His fingers found what he was looking for and he trailed them along the demon's arm, pulling himself closer to Sebastian.

"What is it, my lord?" The voice, velvety smooth and comforting, floated out of the blackness.

"Nothing," Ciel said, hoping that he could keep his voice from shaking. "Just making sure you're still here."

"Where else would I go?" Sebastian asked. "You requested my presence, so I will remain here until you wish otherwise."

Ciel sighed, moving into the other man's embrace. Though they had been together for years, the Earl still had trouble accepting things as they were between them. It had been five years since Ciel had fallen for the demon, but at times he was still apprehensive in regards to the other's motivations. Though Sebastian had begun to treat him as more than a contract, anxiety still gnawed at the back of his mind.

A few months previous, Ciel had celebrated his nineteenth birthday. This wasn't exciting for the normal standards, but the Earl had honestly been surprised to make it to that age. He had suspected that he'd have completed his revenge and thus the contract that he'd made with Sebastian. His soul would reside somewhere within Sebastian for all eternity.

However, though he still desired it, the passion for his revenge had seemed to fade into the background over the years. Other things took precedence; he spent more time working on the company and taking care of any suspicious occurrences at the Queen's request. It kept him busy and that was all that had really mattered.

When he wasn't dealing with business or cleansing the underbelly of England, he was indulging in other human pleasures, most of them with Sebastian. No longer the inexperienced youth he had once been, relations had reached new heights of ecstasy, and Ciel was pleased to note that he could more than hold his own against the demon's technique.

He shifted against Sebastian. The other had taken him harder than normal that night and his ass felt a bit sore, something that didn't happen as often as it used to. He relished the pain though, for it spoke of the connection he and Sebastian shared.

"So," Sebastian said. His voice drew Ciel from his thoughts. "Are you going to actually share with me what is plaguing your mind? Sleep is important to humans at any age and I doubt very much you'll be able to drift off without doing so."

Ciel snorted. "Think you know me that well, huh?"

"I should hope I would be able to read my master after being in your service for so long," Sebastian said. Ciel could just hear the demon's eyes roll by his tone.

"I'm sure it's of no importance," Ciel said, pushing down the unease that coiled in his stomach. "I just have a bad feeling about something."

Sebastian hummed and threaded his fingers through Ciel's hair. The Earl let his head drop onto the Sebastian's chest, sighing at the touch. He wanted to shake the dread that he felt, certain that there was nothing to be afraid of. In a way, he knew there really wasn't anything he should fear. He was not a child anymore, and even when he had been, he'd seen his fair share of the harsh and ugly sides of the world. Plus, he had Sebastian. He knew that the demon would be there for him until the very end, no matter what chanced across their path.

"You have nothing to worry about, my lord," Sebastian replied. "Please do try and sleep soon."

Ciel slung an arm around the demon. Sebastian was warm and his scent familiar. The Earl knew he had a busy day ahead of him. Elizabeth had said that she was coming to visit and that was something he didn't want to face without getting a good night's rest. He enjoyed the woman, but her bubbly personality was draining, especially for extended periods of time, and though she had always been one to spend hours at the manor, her visits had become longer as of late. No, he definitely wanted to resume his slumber.

He curled his body closer around Sebastian's. He was still slightly unnerved every time he lay against the other, as Sebastian didn't have a heartbeat, at least not one he could detect. It always made him feel as though he were resting on a corpse though it was nearly impossible for Sebastian to die.

However, there had been one time, a few years back, when Ciel had come face to face with that possibility. He'd almost had to be the one to bring about the final blow. In the end, he'd decided against it, and through some miracle figured out how to bring Sebastian out of the darkness and resume his place by the Earl's side.

Ciel didn't like thinking about that period. It was painful, though he guessed it if hadn't happened, perhaps things wouldn't be as they were now between the demon and him. They might have progressed to this point in their relationship eventually, but it might have been slower. On the other hand, it could have simply fizzled out as the months wore on and the newness wore off. The thing that had been intended to rip them apart had instead brought them even more closely together than before.

He let his eyes slip closed once more, hoping that whatever it was that nagged at him was nothing to worry about. Somehow he couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. He just wasn't sure what it could be.

Sebastian had left to prepare the breakfast when he rose again a few hours later, but this didn't matter to Ciel. Over the years, though he wouldn't decline the offer, he'd decided to learn to do more things by himself. It had occurred to him that perhaps he might find himself in situations where there were no servants or where it would be easier to just handle simple matters of caring for oneself on his own. Dressing himself had topped the list.

He had just finished buttoning his jacket when Sebastian reentered the room. The demon looked him over appraisingly but didn't comment so he assumed that he must have done something right. He listened to the breakfast selections while Sebastian tied on his eye patch. Ciel wasn't suddenly opposed of course to things being done for him.

"Did you sleep well, my lord?" Sebastian asked.

Ciel was sure that he was asking due to the disturbance that had punctuated his slumber during the night. He nodded. "Yes, it was much better," He glanced at the clock on the mantel above the fireplace in his room. "What time did you say that Elizabeth would be arriving?"

"She's due for lunch," Sebastian said. "Of course, we can never truly prepare for Lady Elizabeth's visits, she often shows up whenever she feels like it, frequently without prior invitation."

"This is true," Ciel agreed.

It was indeed true, and though it was something that had happened pretty much since the beginning of their betrothal, Ciel hadn't really had a problem with it until…well, until about five years previous, around that time when he'd begun to act on feelings he'd been harboring for Sebastian and he'd felt less and less affection toward Elizabeth as time went on.

Truthfully, he did care deeply for Elizabeth. He wanted her to be happy and he had accepted his arrangement with her as his duty and resolved to be a good husband to her when the time came. But that wasn't where his desires lay and he still wasn't quite sure how he would handle the matter. He supposed that in the past he'd have broken things off with Sebastian. Even though he liked to entertain the idea that he could keep relations going even after he had married Elizabeth, he knew that it wouldn't be possible. And even if it were possible, it wouldn't be the same. He'd gotten in too deep with the demon and there was no easy way to leave now.

"I assume we should expect her at least an hour earlier than she had planned," Sebastian said. "Shall I have the others begin preparing for her arrival?"

"That would probably be wise," Ciel said. "I don't much like being caught off guard when it comes to Elizabeth."

As it turned out, Elizabeth arrived around twelve-thirty, exactly as Sebastian had predicted she would. She burst out of the carriage, all smiles, and her emerald green eyes wide with excitement. She was grinning as though she had a juicy secret but Ciel couldn't even begin to imagine what that would be. Elizabeth loved talking and, though it wasn't ladylike, listening to gossip. She always knew about all the goings-on in high society amongst the lords and ladies.

She pulled Ciel into an embrace that threatened to crush his ribs, and he was briefly relieved that even though he was still a good deal shorter than her, that he was grown enough so she couldn't comfortably swing him around anymore. That would have been highly embarrassing even if they and Sebastian were the only ones to witness the spectacle. All the same, he was sure he could hear Sebastian snickering behind him and he flashed the other a glare.

"Oh Ciel," Elizabeth said. "It's so wonderful to see you! It feels like it's been forever. You're always so busy with work."

Ciel knew that it had been quite some time since he had seen Elizabeth, but the company wasn't going to run itself. Besides, it was very hard to work in time to see one's fiancée when one didn't want to _be_ said fiancée. However he didn't say these things and instead fixed her with what he hoped was a remorseful smile.

"My deepest apologies, my lady," Ciel replied. "I shall have better work to balance my affairs in the future. I hope you can forgive me."

Elizabeth's eyes darkened for a moment and she looked confused. Then the moment passed and she shook her head. "No need to be so serious, silly, of course I forgive you. Just wait until I tell you the exciting news!"

She grabbed his hand and practically dragged him toward the manor. Ciel vaguely registered Sebastian following behind them as she made her way toward the dining room. Elizabeth loved food, so she would waste no time in settling down to lunch.

As Sebastian went over the menu, Ciel found himself lost in thought again. He still couldn't shake the feeling of unease from the previous night. It had settled in the pit of his stomach and he wished he knew what it meant. He tried to focus on something else, but it was proving difficult. He wished that Elizabeth had come on a different day, but he supposed then he would have found some other excuse for not wanting her there either. No time was the right time it seemed for her to call anymore.

He ate in relative silence while Elizabeth chatted away. He wondered what the real purpose of her visit was, as she usually was one to come right out and say whatever was on her mind. However, something about her seemed a bit different that day. She was blushing a bit more than normal, her cheeks flushed attractively and she appeared to be speaking to fill the gaps in the conversation, leaving almost no moments of quiet.

Sebastian was lurking about the room and Ciel's eyes shifted toward him instead. He'd much rather have had a solo lunch and been back up in his study, pouring over all the odd bits of information that seemed to find their way across his desk. Maybe there would be some sort of case the Queen would need him to solve. Or he and Sebastian could just make another use of the desk…

"—So I said that dress was hideous, even though I know it's rude," Elizabeth was saying. "But really, the color was all wrong. It wasn't cute at all."

Ciel found himself smiling in spite of himself. Elizabeth never lost her enthusiasm for declaring things "cute" or "not cute". He tried to refocus on her, though the topic of conversation was incredibly dull. He of course understood the importance of dressing well and fine clothing but it wasn't really something he put a lot of thought into. He simply wore whatever it was that he commissioned Nina to make for him.

"So, Elizabeth," Ciel broke in. "What was it that you wanted to tell me? You said that you had exciting news."

Elizabeth's face grew a bit serious but her eyes still shone with anticipation. She leaned forward slightly and lowered her voice. "I know I really should wait until the official announcement but I just couldn't. Mother and father have decided it's time. We're getting married!"

Ciel nearly choked on the drink he'd been sipping as she talked. Though she'd started off quietly, the last sentence had come out as an excited squeal. Now she looked even more flushed and beautiful as she waited for him to say something in response. The truth was however that he didn't know how to respond.

He supposed that the appropriate reaction would be to share in her enthusiasm, but all that had happened was a sense of dread settling over him. Of course he had known this day would eventually come, and had realized it was probably coming sooner than later as the years wore on and the both of them grew older. However, he had always thought of it as being something forever in the distance. And if he were being honest with himself, he'd thought he would probably be long dead before he had to go through with it, having completed his revenge and fulfilled the contract.

"Elizabeth," He said, struggling to keep his tone light and interested. "That's splendid. I assure you I'm looking forward to it as well. I am certainly a lucky man."

Elizabeth's grin widened. "Ciel, you say the sweetest things."

Ciel hoped that he looked just as enthralled, but his eyes found Sebastian's instead. The demon looked highly amused, but there was something else in his expression as well. Something Ciel couldn't quite place. Whatever it was quickly vanished as the butler went to go and collect the dessert.

The rest of the afternoon passed rather smoothly. Though there was still a hint of chill in the air, Ciel accompanied Elizabeth on a walk around the property. Sebastian followed them at a short distance, always at hand if either should require anything. Ciel found that he enjoyed spending time with Elizabeth, though she was still a bit too high-strung for his taste. However, he still didn't wish to be with her in any way other than he was currently, and this was now a huge problem. Within the next year, they would be married and that would be the end of things, as he knew them.

"I'm sure the invitations will be along shortly," Elizabeth said as she readied herself to return home. "Father wants to have a dinner to make the official announcement. Seems a bit much, but you know I'm never one to turn down a celebration."

"I await it," Ciel replied. "Safe travels, my lady." He watched her go as the carriage pulled away and started off down the driveway.

Once she was gone, Ciel made his way back inside. He wordlessly climbed the stairs, making his way toward his study. Once he'd shut the door he stalked over to the desk, swearing under his breath as he did so.

"Goodness, my lord," Sebastian said, tucking his gloves inside his pocket. "Is there really need for such obscenities?"

"Shut it," Ciel growled. "This is one of the worst things to happen in my life."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Sebastian purred. "I'd say there are definitely worse things."

"I said _one_ of the worst," Ciel said. He threw himself into the chair behind the desk and spun it to face the window. The sunlight was fading fast in the early spring weather. It suited his mood just fine. "Anyway, don't pretend you're perfectly fine with this arrangement either."

"I'm not sure I know what you mean," Sebastian replied.

"Don't play games with me," Ciel said. "I saw the way you looked when Elizabeth made the announcement. You don't like it any more than I do."

"Be that as it may," Sebastian said. He moved to stand beside Ciel. "There's simply no helping the matter. We knew this day would eventually come if you lived long enough, and so it must be dealt with accordingly. You have to marry Lady Elizabeth, your reputation as Earl depends on it."

Ciel knew Sebastian was right, but that didn't mean he was resigned to the circumstance. Horrible as it was, he wondered if there were in fact some way that he could get out of the engagement, without ruining his own reputation or Elizabeth's. If he simply broke things off with her, then both of their characters would suffer. It would prove difficult for her to perhaps find another husband and he was sure that his business ventures, as well favor with the Queen, might also experience some strain. Nevertheless, he decided to log away the possibility for the moment.

Deciding he'd had enough talk and enough bad news to last him at least the rest of the week, he reached up and grabbed Sebastian's tie, yanking the butler down to his level and meeting the other's lips in a searing kiss. Sebastian responded in kind, fangs teasing the Earl's bottom lip, black-nailed fingers stroking along the sides of his face. Ciel deepened the kiss before pulling away and tracing his lips along the demon's jaw.

 _At least the evening might be salvageable,_ Ciel thought as Sebastian skillfully untied the ascot at his neck, undoing the top buttons of his shirt to suck at the skin. _Even if my life is in danger of changing beyond my control once again._

"I'm aware of my reputation," Ciel said quietly. His fingers reached up to thread through Sebastian's hair. "But that doesn't mean that I am resigned to losing this."

Sebastian drew back slightly, eyes glowing. "Then don't be. There are always ways to get what you truly desire."

* * *

 **This first chapter is a bit longer than they previously were, but I really wanted it to end where it did for the first one. This might be a trend for this story, we shall see going forward. It'll update Tuesday and Thursday for now. Thank you to all my faithful readers.**


	2. Chapter 2

Sebastian very much wished that Elizabeth's visit hadn't affected him, but the truth was it had more than he cared to admit. Of course after being with the Earl so long, he was no longer as adept had hiding his emotions as he had been and the other had pointed out his displeasure. Nevertheless he recognized that this wasn't suddenly a new thing to spring upon them, it had always been a very real possibility had the Earl lived long enough.

Ciel was engaged to Elizabeth and had been since probably before he was even born. Nothing could change that short of breaking the engagement and that…well that would be another surefire way to ruin the young master's reputation. There were already too many things that could come to light that would result in the same, and this was one that was avoidable.

Still, Sebastian couldn't pretend that he wished there were another way. It was clear that Ciel had no interest in being with Elizabeth and wanted to remain with him. Outside of their contract and the obvious enjoyment of sexual relations, the reasons why were still a bit fuzzy to the demon, even after all this time. They'd touched on the matter once years ago but Sebastian still couldn't believe that the explanations had been true.

As such, he wasn't going to dwell on it. There was no use thinking about such things that would only further confuse him. Sebastian didn't like being confused, as it didn't happen often. He had resolved to just take things as they were and be done with it when it came to the intimate relationship he and Ciel shared.

He readied the dinner preparations, hoping at least that the Earl would be in a better mood than he had been after Elizabeth's departure. Sebastian had thought perhaps the other was going to work out his frustrations right there on the desk as he had on occasion in the past, but that hadn't happened. He'd simply sat there with Sebastian for a while, capturing the occasion absentminded kiss as he stared out the window at the grounds below. The demon could tell that the gears in his mind were turning, and he wondered what the other was thinking about.

Ciel hadn't said, however, he'd ordered Sebastian to leave him for a time and collect him when dinner was ready. So the butler had taken his leave and gone downstairs where he looked over the options for the evening meal, wondering which dish would best counter his master's sour mood.

Bard entered the kitchen chewing on a cigarette as usual. Finny and Mey-Rin trailed behind. All three looked excited.

"Did I hear correctly?" Finny asked. "The young master's to be married?"

Sebastian gripped the potato he was peeling a bit harder than he meant to and it exploded in his hand. He sighed and shook the bits from his fingers before turning around. "The young master has always been going to be married."

"Yes, but this is real official like," Bard said. "As in there's gonna be a ceremony and everything."

"Oh it'll be spectacular, I'm sure," Mey-Rin said dreamily. Her eyes shone behind her glasses and she clasped her hands together. "Lady Elizabeth is going to be the most beautiful bride, yes she is!"

Sebastian nodded stiffly. "I am sure it will be a very interesting turn of events. Now—what are you all doing in here, with perhaps the exception of Bard, instead of doing your jobs? You don't see Tanaka in here do you, asking silly questions? Or Snake?"

"Sorry, Mister Sebastian," Finny said. "We just wanted to ask about the wedding."

"Right," Mey-Rin agreed. "Now that it's settled we'll be back to doing our duties."

The maid and gardener exited rather hastily, leaving Sebastian with Bard. The demon turned around again and resumed with the peeling of potatoes. He silently hoped that the cook wouldn't speak again, but his hopes were dashed as the other's voice floated toward him from the other side of the kitchen.

"Imagine that," He said as he pulled some pots and pans from the cupboard. "Our little Earl all grown up and taking a wife. For some reason it seems like this day would never come."

The butler hummed but didn't say anything else and Bard was soon clanking around behind him, the scent of smoke filling the air as the chef puffed on another cigarette.

Sebastian reflected that the day technically wasn't supposed to have come at all. He had anticipated that the revenge the young master pursued would have been taken care of long before and the terms of the contract fulfilled. However, it seemed as though over the years, revenge had seemed less important and Ciel had focused his energies on other things. Normally, Sebastian would have been annoyed at having to wait so long to collect a soul, especially one as tantalizing as the other's, would have declared it a breach of contract and killed the offender immediately. But he too seemed to have set his sights on other things.

Only now…

Now he wondered if perhaps he should spurn on searching for the culprits that Ciel had so desperately sought to bring to justice for the murder of his family. The demon did look into the matters on occasion and was aware of at least a couple leads that might put them in the right direction. If he helped Ciel complete the mission, he could consume the young man's soul, and then Sebastian wouldn't have to share him with anyone.

The demon was surprised at these thoughts but pushed them aside. Of course he didn't want to share his meal. He'd so carefully cultivated the soul all these years, seasoning it with just the right dark emotions. It was simply his nature, nothing more.

Only there was more. Sebastian could feel it growing over the years, and it was actually a very big problem. It hadn't really been as apparent at the start of his service to the Earl, but as time wore on, Sebastian realized that things changed. Of course in his demon's lifespan, years felt like mere seconds and so he supposed that the magnitude of the last five had just somehow slipped by him.

Ciel had grown up and though he wasn't exactly an entirely different person, there were noticeable changes. He had gotten a bit taller, at least by three inches and put on more muscle though he was still willowy. His dress had progressed from those of a child to the more distinguished attire of a young man. He still held on to his fondness for sweets and games, qualities that lent their usefulness to his company. However on the whole, the most important difference was that he was older.

Sebastian, on the other hand, was exactly as he had been when he'd strolled from the darkness in the cult chamber and made the contract with Ciel. He still looked exactly the same, never aging even a fraction. He supposed there were some humans whose appearances remained untouched for years, but was aware that if things went on as they were, people would begin to realize that Ciel looked older than his butler, who had originally been older than he.

This too, could be avoided with the completion of the contract and the devouring of the soul. Except…

Sebastian pushed the thoughts away. Thinking on them would be dangerous. He must stick to the plan if he wanted any hope of stability to his life again. Even if he would like to remain with the Earl, Ciel would continue to grow older, while Sebastian remained the same. Even if he never received his revenge, eventually mortality would run it's course and Ciel would die. His cinematic record would come to a close with the swing of a death scythe.

Sebastian had been moving throughout the entire time he'd lost himself in his mind. Somehow he'd managed to make all the dinner preparations without realizing it. Of course this wasn't unusual for a butler such as he. With a slight sigh, he went to go and collect Ciel for dinner.

He knocked on the study door and Ciel's voice called from the other side for him to enter.

"Dinner is ready, my lord," Sebastian said.

"Good," Ciel said. He rose from behind the desk and walked from the room.

Sebastian followed, wondering what was on the Earl's mind. No doubt he was torn between resigning himself to the marriage, and trying to figure a way to get out of it. The demon knew however that in the end, honor would win out and Ciel would probably go through with it, whether he wanted to or not. Humans could be utterly ridiculous when it came to their sense of honor. They thought they were doing things for the greater good, but in the end they often ended up making themselves miserable.

"For dinner tonight," Sebastian said as Ciel sat down. "I have prepared filet mignon topped with merlot demi glace reduction, slowly roasted potatoes, and pan seared asparagus with shallots. For dessert we have mousse au chocolate garnished with mint and fresh raspberries."

"I want to go into London tomorrow," Ciel said, picking up his fork.

"Oh?" Sebastian raised an eyebrow. This was new. "Any particular reason?"

"Her Majesty sent a letter," Ciel said. "It seems there's been a series of art thefts throughout the country. She suspects the culprit is selling the pieces on the black market. It sounds like a lot of nasty business, but such is the nature of dealings in the underbelly."

"Indeed," Sebastian said. "Well, we shall want to get an early start then. I'll pack the carriage tonight after dinner."

Ciel inclined his head. "I don't imagine we will be there long. At least, I hope not."

"Once again, young master," Sebastian said. "I must implore you to perhaps be a little more social. You've not been to a party since—"

His voice trailed off, remembering very distinctly the last party that the Earl had attended. It was roughly about two months before; there'd been some sort of New Year's Ball at the Viscount Druitt's residence. After much prodding, Sebastian had convinced the Earl that he should go, stating it would be good to keep up appearances, etc. etc. Ciel reluctantly agreed, but had warmed up to the party once they'd gotten there.

Another thing that had changed, as the Earl had gotten older, was his dislike for alcohol had waned. He was by no means a drunkard, but he did like to imbibe perhaps a bit more than was wise on occasion. This was precisely what had happened in this instance. He'd pulled Sebastian to the cloakroom where they had had a rather adventurous time among all the other guests' coats while Big Ben chimed in the background, signaling the start of a new year.

He glanced suggestively at Ciel, noting the slight blush creeping on the other's cheeks. Clearly, the young master was now also remembering the last party they had attended. He averted his eyes and resumed his dinner. Sebastian smirked.

"Anyway," Sebastian said. "The social gatherings probably won't start for at least another month so you'll be spared that at least."

The time could not have been worse for such crimes to occur. There was to be a royal art festival and auction at the beginning of spring. Sebastian knew that there had been such events in the past but his master's attendance at them was spotty at best. As an Earl he was expected to spend time at all sorts of pointless engagements. These days Ciel chose them carefully; only appearing at those he deemed would be of advantage to him, or at the request of the Queen in relation to an investigation.

"Indeed," Ciel replied. "It has been a bit of time since our last venture into the city, so it wouldn't hurt to spend a few days there."

"As you wish," Sebastian said.

The rest of the dinner passed in relative quiet. Sebastian watched Ciel with the same attentiveness that he always had. Afterwards Ciel went to finish some paperwork, leaving Sebastian with his thoughts.

Later, after he'd readied the other for bed, he reflected that he too, was not resigned to losing what he had with Ciel. Though it confused him to no end the way the Earl made him feel, it wasn't an entirely unpleasant sensation. He could feel a tiny flicker of unfamiliar heat inside his core, one that hadn't previously been there until a few years prior. It could be risky to stoke it, but if things turned favorable…

Ciel stretched out, arranging the covers over his knees, looking expectantly for Sebastian who was drawing the curtains closed.

"Do you wish for me to join you tonight, my lord?" Sebastian asked. He always asked out of courtesy, but Ciel rarely refused.

"Yes," Ciel replied.

Sebastian slipped off his shoes and entered the bed. Ciel reached for him, the sleeves of his nightgown sliding down his arms. Sebastian paused, staring at the thin white scar that ran along the forearm of the left one. It had faded slightly over time, but his sensitive demon eyes could see it as thought it were fresh. About four inches long it was not easily missed, though because of it's placement only he and the Earl knew of its existence.

He grabbed Ciel's wrist, casually pushing the sleeve down a bit further and pressing a kiss against the scar. He knew that the Earl hated it and thought it ruined his appearance, but for Sebastian the mark held much deeper meaning. It spoke of things that the other didn't like to discuss but were very much present. He kissed it once more, and then curled his body around Ciel's, drawing the younger man closer to him.

Contract or not, they were bound by something. Sebastian felt Ciel's fingers stroke down along his arm in the darkness, could feel the steady beat of the young master's heart in his chest. The candles on the nightstand burned low and Sebastian lay awake feeling Ciel slowly drift off to sleep.

As he had stated to the Earl in the study that afternoon, there were always ways to get what one truly desired. Now he also had to find that way.

* * *

 **A/N: This one is shorter, but I hope everyone still enjoys. Thanks to all who have found, read and commented on this story. I feel like I've lost a large part of my audience from the first installment of this story. I miss you all and hope you'll find me again.**

 **ran: thank you! I always get excited too when there's a new work from someone I enjoy.**

 **Dardar1: But where would be the fun in that?! He may figure out what he actually wants eventually. ;)**

 **promocat: Good to see you again! It's going to be a ride for sure.**


	3. Chapter 3

Ciel stepped into the townhouse the next afternoon, Sebastian at his side. As always, he was a bit surprised when Prince Soma didn't immediately engulf him in a bone-crushing hug. It had been a couple years since the Prince and Agni had last lived in the townhouse, but it still gave him pause.

Determined to do something with his life, Soma had went into business with Agni and they now had a string of high profile curry restaurants across the country. Ciel saw them frequently as he was the one who had helped them initially with their business venture. They were selling the very curry that had received the Royal Warrant all those years before. And naturally Ciel liked to keep up with all his investments.

He made his way toward his room, wondering where to begin in regards to the case. The last painting stolen had belonged to a Ms. Lillian Walker, three times widowed, and absolutely rolling in money. He supposed that she would probably be the most likely candidate to start with the questioning, as she had told the police she had seen the culprit.

"Sebastian," He said as he walked over to the window. "Tomorrow we will go call upon Lady Walker. Tonight however, I think we will pay a visit to a few of the less honorable establishments in the city. See if we can't uncover any clues leading to the thief or the artifacts' whereabouts."

"Very good, sir," Sebastian said. "Shall I start work on lunch?"

"Yes," Ciel nodded. "We'll go into town this evening."

Sebastian bowed and exited the room, leaving Ciel to his thoughts.

The ride from the manor had been a rather quiet one. He could sense that there was a bit of tension between him and Sebastian now that the storm cloud of his impending nuptials had rolled over everything. But really, what could he do? He had a duty to uphold as Earl and part of that was forming a union with his betrothed. Even if that was something he didn't want. Ciel was used to sacrificing things for the greater good, and his own happiness would just be the latest casualty.

Still, if the previous night were any indication, it appeared that the demon also wasn't going to waste a second of their remaining time together. Ciel didn't look forward to the day when he could no longer be intimate with Sebastian. Elizabeth was beautiful, and had become even more so with age, but she didn't stir anything within him.

Later that evening, Ciel found himself walking the familiar streets of London's East End, wishing that it were a bit warmer. At least the snow had thawed, but there was a distinct bite in the air that left him shivering. Ciel had never been impervious to cold and he glowered jealously at Sebastian who always seemed to be warm and braved the chill with little more than a single woolen coat. Of course being a demon probably had something to do with it.

"So, where to first, my lord?" Sebastian asked.

"I suppose we start with most familiar," Ciel said. "Pay a visit to our old friend Lau."

Lau's quarters were as they always had been, though perhaps a little more lavishly decorated. He greeted them with a sly smile, taking a long drag from his pipe. Ran-Mao was curled at his side and her golden eyes regarded them with scrutiny.

"So, Earl, what brings you here to my humble abode?" Lau asked. "I'll confess it has been a bit since I'd seen you last. I trust everything is alright?"

"Everything is quite not alright," Ciel said. "There's been a string of art theft. Her Majesty suspects they're possibly being used in exchange for the drug trade. Since that's your expertise I came to ask if you'd heard anything about it."

"I've heard rumors, yes," Lau nodded. "However, nothing of the stolen goods has passed through to my knowledge. Trust me, those articles would not go unnoticed."

"What about the drugs?" Ciel asked. "Has there been any unusual or especially large orders? Anyone paying an absurd amount of money?"

"There are always a few of those," Lau replied. "But in this case, I don't think any of the clients have the answers you seek. I am sorry to disappoint."

Ciel growled in frustration. This had seemed like a good place to start but clearly there was nothing to be gained from it. He supposed that Lau could be lying but dismissed the idea. The man wasn't stupid and he knew better than to cross Ciel. The two had a delicate partnership and the other knew what was at stake if he were withholding information from the Earl.

"I'll be in town for a few days," Ciel said. "Make sure to keep me posted if anything changes."

"Of course, my lord," Lau said and he waved them on their way.

Ciel paused as they emerged outside. "You don't suspect he was lying do you?"

"No, I do not," Sebastian, said. "There really couldn't be anything gained from not revealing the perpetrator. After all, it takes just but one call to the right people and this whole business goes belly-up."

"Indeed," Ciel started off down the street again. "Still, I had been sure he'd be able to tell us something."

"And perhaps in time, he still might," Sebastian replied. "We are still relatively new to the investigation. Perhaps the drugs are from another source, or that was just the most likely object of trade that those in charge could come up with. Maybe the art is being stolen or exchanged for an entirely different form of currency."

"So you think it might not be drug related?"

"It's possible," Sebastian said. "I'd be happy to go and take a look at the notes collected so far on the investigation if you wish."

Ciel wasn't sure if he wanted to go risk sneaking into the Yard that night. Not that it would be difficult with Sebastian as his partner, but he wanted to exhaust a few other avenues first.

"Undertaker's shop," He grunted. "Hopefully he won't be put out at us calling so late."

This turned out to be further from the truth. Undertaker received them rather jovially, though he was often prone to fits of giggles, particularly after an especially amusing joke. However, other the years it appeared there was a new source to the funeral director's good mood and it came in the form of a young woman that Ciel was all to familiar with.

"Lady Adeline," He inclined his head as they stood in the dimly lit shop.

The lamps cast unusual shadows on the walls, most of them coffin shaped. It reminded Ciel of a graveyard and he felt a prickle of unease. He wasn't truly afraid of death, knowing too well that it was ever looming, but it still gave him a bit of a chill once in a while.

"Good to see you as well, Lord Phantomhive," She smiled. "Would you care for some tea?"

"That would be appreciated," Ciel said. He watched her disappear into the back part of the shop, then turned back to Undertaker who was grinning at him from beneath his hat.

"So, Earl," Undertaker said. "What sort of information do you seek today? It's a bit late to be calling, must be important."

"Perhaps not as important as previous cases," Ciel admitted. "Though truthfully, I don't fully know the extent of debauchery that may have stemmed from these acts."

"Are you referring to the murder?" Undertaker asked.

Ciel raised an eyebrow. "Pardon?"

"Oh, dear me," Undertaker said. "Seems that I've let you in on some information you were not privy to, hmm? Really should work on controlling that old slip of me tongue."

The Earl leaned forward. " _What_ murder?" He glanced over at Sebastian who also looked intrigued. "Don't play games with me, Undertaker. I know the lady is fond of you, but I will not hesitate to order Sebastian to make you talk."

"There's no need for violence," Undertaker said. "She was pulled from the river last night and I've not the pleasure of having her as a guest yet so that's really the most I can tell you regarding her condition."

Ciel sighed. This wasn't unusual. People were murdered all the time. It was a fact of life. People killed or were killed and then more people were born and it went on and on. Human existence was so fragile and yet so resilient.

"It's really not an unusual occurrence," Undertaker broke in before he could say anymore. However, he couldn't help but feel that the other man didn't quite meet his eyes when he said it. "Though it is a pity to have a young life go to waste."

Ciel glanced up as Adeline brought in a tea tray. There was cookies as well, thankfully not bone-shaped, and Ciel took one, remembering her skills in the kitchen from her stay at the manor. It was still as delicious.

"So, what were you here in regard to then?" Undertaker said.

"No doubt you've seen the papers regarding the art theft?"

"Yes," Undertaker said. "Nasty bit of business, that. I do hope that they catch who's responsible."

"Do you know who might be responsible?" Ciel asked. "We were discussing on the way over here that perhaps other crimes may have stemmed from it. Her Majesty suspected the drug trade, but I was wondering about others. Perhaps even murder."

Undertaker nodded. "I understand the thought process. Where one crime is committed others are sure to follow. However, I don't believe that the girl in question was killed because of a stolen painting or sculpture."

This had led them to another dead end it seemed. Ciel sipped his tea, trying to assemble the fragments in his mind. He glanced over at Sebastian and could tell that the butler was thinking too, but he didn't believe either of them had any leads.

What he knew was that there was an art thief, possibly stealing artifacts for drugs, money, or other such things. Now apparently there was also a murder that had occurred two days before. He wasn't sure if they were connected. Maybe he and Sebastian could get a look at the body. Once again that would mean sneaking into the medical examiners office at the Yard. It appeared there was going to be no way of getting around that this time.

He found Adeline watching him and felt a slight shiver ripple across his body. As much as he disliked interacting with other humans, he had found a connection with her in her few months stay with him regarding a case years before. Her parents had been killed by vampires of all things and she'd had a hand in bringing them to justice—well, most of them.

However that wasn't what made him uneasy. He'd visited Undertaker's shop many times since those events and it was always a pleasure to see Adeline, but he always felt a bit of apprehension because of what had happened after the battle with the vampires.

Sebastian had sustained an unusual injury. Silas Beaumont, celebrated actor and great patriarch of a particularly old and powerful line of vampires had bitten the demon and infected him with vampire toxins. Seeing as he was a demon, Sebastian couldn't be fully turned and instead the change had wrecked quite a bit of havoc on his body. Ciel had hated to see his butler in such pain, and had gone to Undertaker for assistance, though he'd conveniently left out exactly who was suffering the change.

Adeline had eventually shown up just when Ciel had reached his breaking point, with promise of a cure and an option for a painless end for the demon if it didn't work. However, he'd pointed out to her that there was no cure, as she should well know, seeing as her own brother had fallen victim. And then she'd said it.

" _There's no cure for humans."_

He still remembered her words and how much they had shocked him. Because no one was supposed to know that Sebastian was not human. This led him to believe that perhaps Undertaker knew as well. Even after all these years he still hadn't asked either of them to clarify, preferring to pretend that the incident hadn't happened at all, because it was over and done with. At least as much as it could be.

There was almost no one alive who knew of Sebastian's true nature save for the people in the shop and Sir Arthur, the writer—which reminded him he needed to start reading the next Sherlock Holmes story. He very much enjoyed them and was glad that the writer had continued on with them. Of course Sebastian's inspiration probably had something to do with it.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Adeline, because she had given him no reason not to. He just wasn't used to having people know intimate details about his life. That sort of information could prove disastrous if leaked and he didn't want to think of the consequences if people found out about Sebastian's true nature.

He nibbled at another cookie, and glanced at Adeline again. She gave him a soft smile and turned to look at Undertaker. Ciel found himself inwardly wondering how these two ever got together. They were a rather strange pair, but both seemed happy with the other. He supposed that was all that mattered.

At least they could go out or hold hands and do as they pleased in public, within the socially acceptable parameters. He could do these things with Lizzie of course, would have even more free reign when they wed, but…

Draining the last of his tea, he rose and thanked them for their hospitality. "I expect I'll be in touch soon."

The streets were becoming even more deserted now and Ciel supposed that they should pay a visit to the Yard and then they could go home. He was looking forward to a bath and a roaring fire. Traveling through London's less than savory parts always made him feel a bit grimy.

They continued on in the direction of the Yard. As they passed through the streets, Ciel kept his head down, not wanting to draw attention to himself. He didn't want anyone to recognize him and have to exchange pleasantries. The entire night was turning out to be a colossal waste of time. He should have waited for the following day and gone out when it was bright outside and less cold. Of course, the nature of his business was better suited for the dark.

"How much further?" Ciel asked. "I feel as though it is taking an especially long time tonight."

"We are perhaps moving a bit slower than normal," Sebastian said. "I'd say that we're still at least a couple miles off. I can hail a carriage if you wish, or carry you…"

Ciel bristled at that. Sebastian didn't carry him anymore as he once had, mostly because he had deemed himself to old for it. He was perfectly capable of walking. He drew his coat more tightly around him and hurriedly picked up the pace. Sebastian's long strides easily caught up with him.

As they neared the end of the block there was a scream, followed by several more shouts and other sounds of commotion. Ciel hurried forward, rounding the corner to the next street, surprised to find it was crowded with people. Men and women were clustered tightly in front of a nearby pub. Ciel couldn't see anything but was curious as to what had warranted such a response.

"Can you see anything?" He asked Sebastian.

"No," Sebastian shook his head. "There are too many people. However they do seem to be looking at something on the ground just in front of the door."

"Let's go," Ciel said and started forward, shouldering his way through the throngs of people.

As he neared the center of the circle the crowd thinned considerably and soon there was only two other people in the middle of it. There was a rather white-faced young man who was bent over the second person, a second young man who was clearly dead. Ciel could see the blood pooling around the victim's head. He stepped closer.

"What's going on here?" He asked, hoping his tone was authoritative enough that he'd get some answers.

"I don't know," The kneeling man said. "He said he was going outside for a smoke—wanted some fresh air. He'd been taking a while so I came to see what was keeping him. Looks like someone cut his throat."

Ciel swept around the body, his brows knitting together in confusion. What he saw made his blood run cold. His heart began to beat faster and he was sure that the refreshments from Undertaker's were about to make their reappearance on the cobblestones in front of the pub. He tried to steady his breathing, but it was hard as he stared at the corpse.

There was nothing noteworthy about the victim. He was a moderately handsome man in his late-twenties. His hair shone in the faint light of the streetlamps, the ends of it wet with blood. Pale green eyes stared up at the night sky with the blank stare of the dead. Ciel had seen countless dead bodies whether they were casualties of investigations, people he'd killed himself, or ordered Sebastian to kill. This wasn't new to him and honestly no longer affected him as it once had unless the victim was particularly young.

However, this one was different. He hadn't noticed it before due to the man kneeling in front of the body but now that he looked at it head on he felt a wave of unease wash over him. The body was standard for a murder, except for the wound inflicted that had clearly caused the death.

The man's throat had been torn out.

"Sebastian, we need to go," He muttered, turning away from the scene. He threaded his way back through the people, the butler close behind him. It wasn't until they were at least three streets away that he allowed himself to speak again.

"You saw that, didn't you?" He asked.

"It could be a coincidence," Sebastian said. "There's no sense in jumping to conclusions."

"But you don't think so," Ciel said. He glanced around the immediate area as though half expecting something to come jumping out at him at any second. "Come on."

They arrived at the Yard in what felt like record time. Ciel supposed that the adrenaline had spurned him on. The building was oddly quiet, even for so late at night. He suspected however that at least a few officers had been dispatched to the site they had just left. This made it easier to sneak in and soon he entered the medical examiner's office, his nose wrinkling at the pharmaceutical smells that filled the room.

Sebastian went over to the cabinets and began to look through the files, while Ciel crossed to the table and threw back the sheet off the body there, already knowing what he would find. Exactly as he'd feared, the young woman on the table also had injuries identical to those of the man in front of the pub.

He felt bile rise in his throat as he looked as he stared at the gaping wound in her neck. He gripped the table to steady himself, feeling a sense of déjà vu as he stood there. He'd been in this spot over five years previous, looking at bodies that were in a similar state. Only those had been also missing their hearts. Because they'd been…

"Sebastian," He said quietly. "She's returned."

* * *

 **A/N: Much love to everyone reading this. I've been having a good time writing it. Things will start getting pretty interesting in the coming chapters. On another note, I was thinking of making a tumblr for my stories to connect more with my readers. Would ya'll think that was cool?**

 **Dardar1: You'll just have to wait and see. At this point Sebastian is conflicted on what he wants to do.**

 **LonelyStargazer: Thank you so much! Looking forward to seeing how the rest of it pans out. (actually looking forward to your next chapter too)**

 **ran: Yes, I actually agree with this statement wholeheartedly. It's good, but bad. But good.**

 **promocat: Obviously. Sebastian just dislikes all humans except Ciel. Thinks they're fascinating, like a science experiment, but also thinks they're stupid and naive.**


	4. Chapter 4

The journey back to the townhouse had been a rather sober one. Sebastian could sense the Earl's alarm; it was so palpable it was almost physical. He understood of course, the reason for it, but for the present there wasn't anything immediately endangering to them.

Yes, it appeared that Marina Beaumont was back. Sebastian couldn't pretend he'd thought she wouldn't eventually surface, hell bent on getting revenge for the death of her family and destruction of the vampire clan. However, he was a bit surprised that it had taken this long. Perhaps she had something especially nefarious up her sleeve. Or she had just decided to bide her time and strike when her memory would have faded far into the back of their minds.

For the most part, he and the Earl both _had_ tried to forget the events that had happened. It was an especially delicate period within their time together, but one that was probably the most important in the grand scheme of things. It was the events that had brought them closer together, to the point they were now. In a twisted way, he might have said it was a good thing.

"Undertaker knew," Ciel spat, splashing his fist angrily into the water. Droplets splashed into the air and over the side of the tub. "You realize that, don't you? That's why he didn't want to tell us about the murder of that girl."

Sebastian sighed from his place next to the tub. Ciel had long outgrown regular baths with him but that didn't mean he didn't accompany the other on occasion and Ciel had wanted to continue discussing the case. "I had suspected that perhaps he knew more than he was letting on."

"Why wouldn't he say something?" Ciel asked. "It's important, she's— _here_ again."

"Perhaps because he wanted to avoid precisely this sort of reaction," Sebastian supplied. "I agree that the resurface of that bloodsucker is not a welcome occurrence, however, we need to be careful in how we approach the situation."

"If she doesn't find us first," Ciel growled bitterly. He rose from the tub and accepted the towel Sebastian offered, drying off and wrapping it around his waist to go to the bedroom.

He slipped on his nightshirt and sat on the edge of the bed, shivering, despite the bath and the fire that roared in the grate. Sebastian wondered if he were cold or if the cause were something else.

"My lord," Sebastian knelt in front of him. "You don't have to be afraid. You know I'll protect you until the end."

Ciel looked away, a frown tugging at his lips. "I know that. I'm not afraid of dying…"

His voice trailed off and Sebastian felt himself smirk slightly. Once again, the Earl was skirting his emotions. It didn't matter though; the demon knew exactly how he felt. He remembered every word Ciel had ever said in regards to their relationship, though a lot of them didn't make sense to him.

"I will not let her, or any others like her, get the better of me again," Sebastian said. "Nor will I let anything happen to you."

"History always repeats itself," Ciel said. "I don't doubt your abilities, but I almost lost you once."

"What do you propose we do then?" Sebastian asked. "Run away somewhere? Together for all eternity, that sort of thing?"

Ciel glanced up at him in surprise. There was a faint blush tingeing his cheeks. His eyes shifted away and he shook his head. "Don't be absurd."

"Then we must face the problem head on when it arrives," Sebastian said. "You said so yourself once, to hesitate can be fatal. I am inclined to agree. We just need to be more calculating in our moves this time. However, she's probably not coming tonight. No, I think she wants to get a rise out of us, out of you. What better way than the killing of innocents?

"That is exactly how our paths crossed the first time." Ciel said. "Still, I look forward to putting an end to this business once and for all."

Sebastian grinned. "I feel the same."

Ciel went to bed and Sebastian waited until the Earl had drifted off before he slipped away. He hoped that sleep would remain kind to the younger man for at least a few hours and that he would, all being well, return before the other realized he were gone. Ciel could of course call him back at a moment's notice, but he was not blind to the fragility of his master's mood after the discovery of Marina's return.

Sebastian of course realized the severity of the situation. He did feel that the Earl's alarm was warranted, however it was not something he was going to indulge in. Because if Ciel were afraid then he definitely would not act with a level head and that would be a problem. So, Sebastian needed to steer him in the direction of responses more appropriate to a noble.

He had stepped outside and was making a cursory round of the perimeter. He'd already done this once they'd gotten back to the townhouse but he figured that there was no harm in another. Especially since it also gave him time to focus on just what the hell he had said to the Earl when the other had asserted that he didn't want to lose Sebastian.

What were the words he'd uttered? He'd propositioned the Earl to run away somewhere? And then the phrase "together for all eternity"… Well, that part he supposed was true. They were bound together until the contract reached completion. So for the rest of Ciel's eternity, he imagined the statement was correct.

 _Only…that wasn't actually what I'd meant, was it?_ Sebastian thought. He pushed the feelings away, though they continued to nag at his brain.

Still, the possibility was something that he had been thinking about since Elizabeth's visit the previous day. He supposed that it had something to do with his demon nature. He didn't want to share his prize. Of course, married or not, the terms of the agreement still applied, if the revenge were completed Ciel's soul would become Sebastian's and he'd be free to take it, no matter the circumstances.

He sighed heavily, weighing the options in his mind. There was really only one of three ways this could go: he could let things take their natural course and see Ciel married off, he could attempt to hurry along the revenge and consume the Earl's soul before he had to deal with the previously mentioned situation for too long, or a third possibility that he hadn't dared himself to think about.

Sebastian decided that there was no sense in making a hasty decision. However much he wanted the Earl to remain with him, there were other factors to consider. In any case, they now had the issue of a vampire to deal with and he knew that until that was settled, Ciel wouldn't even contemplate disappearing. He was fiercely loyal to the Crown and cleansing the city of all abominations.

He remained outside for the better part of the night. Since he didn't feel the cold this brought about no ill effects and it allowed him to think without the sometimes stifling atmosphere of the townhouse. After a few hours had passed he decided that he would take a more laidback approach to the matter at hand. The Earl wasn't quite lost to him yet, and the wedding was still many months away. A lot could change within that time.

* * *

Ciel awoke the next morning debating where exactly he should pick up the investigation. It seemed now, as well as five years previous; that they were always met with a lot of dead-ends when it came to the vampires. He wondered what Marina had been doing in her time away. Perhaps she had taken a leaf out of her father's book and started finding young impressionable humans to turn and make part of her clan.

However, he couldn't ignore the Queen's command, so he supposed he would have to wait until the matter of the art theft was resolved. He understood the urgency, considering the festival that was looming closer. Though a few missing artifacts seemed rather trivial to having a bloodthirsty beast stalking the streets of London.

Nevertheless, he had honor to uphold and that was what led him to be sitting in the parlor of Lady Lillian Walker, the most recent victim of burglary. Her maid was tending to the tea and Ciel glanced around the room as he waited. She'd said her mistress would be down in a moment but that had been at least fifteen minutes ago. Clearly, Lady Walker had no problems with keeping guests waiting.

The parlor was practically dripping with extravagance. Ciel supposed that this was the result of being married and widowed thrice, all to quite high profile men. However, he saw past the façade. This was the mark of someone who cared to highly about her appearance and who actually were well aware of her own inadequacy. This boded well for the Earl; he knew exactly how to handle those sorts of people.

Lady Walker swept into the room. She was a very attractive older woman, having aged rather well and was really a lot younger than Ciel had expected. He could vaguely remember seeing her at a few parties over the years, though he'd never spoken to her before now. She was wearing entirely too much makeup, but her hair was done up elegantly on her head and her dress was perhaps cut to show a bit more skin than was suitable for a person her age.

Her eyes immediately lit on Sebastian. "My, who might this handsome fellow be?"

"My butler, Sebastian," Ciel said. He'd risen from his chair the moment she'd entered the room and he crossed to the entryway, offering a slight bow and gently accepting the hand she offered him. "I'm Earl Ciel Phantomhive. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lady."

" _Butler_ , you say?" She questioned. Her fingers danced playfully across the demon's shoulders. "I can't imagine you'd part with him, would you?"

"As delightful as it would be to enter into service with a lady as striking as yourself, I am afraid I must decline," Sebastian said, clutching the woman's hand. "I don't know how the Earl would go on without me."

Ciel felt equal parts jealousy and amusement at the exchange, particularly after Lady Walker threw her arms around Sebastian's neck and leaned in just a bit too far. He knew that Sebastian would never leave him, especially not for this old shrew, but he still didn't like someone else touching the butler. However, the expression on the other's face was too hilarious for him not to entertain a bit more.

"Oh, I don't know Sebastian," He smirked. "Sometimes you do let the tea get a little cold. Maybe a change of employment might just be what you're looking for. I'm sure that Ms. Walker would make great use of your…talents."

Sebastian shot him a look and Ciel's grin widened. He turned and walked back toward the chair he had vacated.

"I have a few questions regarding the theft of your painting," Ciel said. "If you would be so kind."

"Of course," Lady Walker released her hold on Sebastian and settled herself on the gold brocade sofa. "It's a bit unusual for an Earl to be investigating such a thing, is it not? I did already speak with the police."

"Just a follow up," Ciel said. "I happen to have an interest in the case and in art as well. Could you tell me where it was from that you procured the painting?"

Lady Walker nodded. "It was my first husband's—or was it my third—they do all run together sometimes, you understand? In any case, it's certainly not a newly acquired piece and I don't even particularly like it, but it's the _principal_ , you know? Thieves should be brought to justice."

"I quite agree," Ciel nodded. "You told the police that you got a look at the thief?"

"I certainly did!" Lady Walker said. "I heard some noises as I was making my way down the hall. The painting was kept near the guest rooms, as it wasn't quite grand enough for a prime spot in the house. I was expecting some company the following week however and wanted to decide accommodations for the guests. There was a sound of glass breaking and I entered the room—foolish I know, but one doesn't always think— and there was a young man there. He had the painting under his arm."

"Could you describe him?" Ciel asked.

Lady Walker nodded. "He was young, but not as young as you, and quite handsome. Yes, very handsome. Pity he's just a common thief. I couldn't really see that well, it was quite dim."

"What did he do then?" Sebastian asked.

"He just went right out the window!" Lady Walker clutched the huge jeweled necklace around her neck with heavily ring-covered fingers. "I realize now how lucky I was he didn't kill me. I could have been _shot_!"

"Fortunately, you were not harmed, my lady," Sebastian said.

Ciel had to keep himself from rolling his eyes as the butler turned his charm on the woman. It was of course a tactic that would get them what they desired, but Ciel truthfully didn't feel that there was any more information to be gained. She'd described the appearance of many young men throughout the city. There had to be something else, perhaps something that made him unique that would lead them in the right direction.

"If I might ask a question," Sebastian said.

" _You_ can ask me anything you like," Lady Walker said. She swung away from the Earl to look at Sebastian, her eyes shining.

"How did he get out the window?" Sebastian asked. "I assume the guest rooms are on the second floor and it would be rather a drop for someone to just jump out. He'd have injured himself quite thoroughly."

Ciel had to agree and he leaned forward, curious to hear the response.

"He had a rope," She said. "He went right down the side of the house like one of those circus folk. I know because I ran over to the window and looked out as soon as he disappeared over the ledge. I had to see if he had splattered himself all over. Would have served the scoundrel right."

"Quite," Ciel said. "And then what?"

"He had a carriage waiting for him," Lady Walker continued. "The driver was dressed in dark clothing and from the angle, I of course couldn't see anyone inside. But he landed on the top of it and it started off down the drive. At that point I started shouting for Ives, though _my_ butler, I regret to say, is a little less youthful than your…fine specimen here."

"Alright, I think that about does it," Ciel said stiffly as he rose from his chair. "We'll be in touch if we need any further assistance with the case."

"Feel free to call any time," She said and bade them warmly from the room.

"Well that was colossal waste of time," Ciel said once the same maid from earlier had showed them out. He walked off toward the carriage.

"I don't know, my lord," Sebastian said as they climbed inside. "We did get at least some physical description of the thief, so it wasn't a total loss. And I found out where to get my next job should I ever fall out of your service."

Ciel slapped Sebastian's arm hard as the carriage started off down the drive. "Perhaps you would enjoy her more, hmm? I'm sure she's closer to your age."

"So impolite, young master," Sebastian said. Ciel glared at him. Sebastian didn't often refer to him as such anymore, and especially not in the company of others. "You know that you are the only one I desire."

Ciel did know this and that was what made things harder. He turned his attention out the window and didn't say another word, though his mind sped along faster than the horses pulling the carriage.

He supposed in a way Sebastian was right. Advances on the butler aside, she had given them a few clues. They knew what sort of man to be on the lookout for, someone who sounded as though he had some substantial acrobatic skills. He certainly hoped that there was not a connection to a circus because he had had quite enough of that sort of thing in his youth and that whole episode had ended rather horribly. Still, it wasn't much to go on and there were more pressing issues to deal with.

Marina.

He wondered if she could somehow be connected to this string of burglaries but it didn't make sense. She didn't care about material possessions. She wanted blood. And she wanted to kill Ciel and Sebastian which he supposed that she might as well get in line because there were probably dozens of people who wished the very same. Being the Queen's Watchdog had its drawbacks.

The Earl turned his thoughts back to Elizabeth. She had said that they were going to have a dinner to announce their engagement. He didn't know why it had to be such a huge affair; everyone had known it would come someday since they'd been very small. She'd seemed so excited though, which was typical of Elizabeth. She loved all those things common to high society, the clothing, and the parties, dancing. Ciel didn't particularly care for any of those things.

 _We're polar opposites, really,_ Ciel thought as the carriage bounced along. _Even though we're in the same world we interact with it in completely different ways. She's a perfect Victorian lady, and I…well, I am an Earl and I play the part I'm supposed to, but that's all it is. I'd actually probably be happier being different._

He surprised himself by thinking these things. Usually he was never one to consider happiness, let alone his own. For him, that emotion didn't often surface, mostly because if one allowed being happy, then they set themselves up for unhappiness. It was better to remain cold, that way pain just bounced off your icy exterior instead of piercing through your warmth.

Ciel's eyes strayed toward Sebastian. The butler was staring out the window as well, but Ciel could tell he was also thinking hard about something. He hoped it had to do with the case, or what to do with Marina. He thought once again about things that gave him enjoyment, the greatest source of which sat opposite him. But just like everything else that brought him happiness in life, Sebastian too, would eventually be ripped away and their time together would cease to become anything but a memory.

* * *

 **A/N: Things are really going to start to get cooking now. I am excited for next week's updates...cuz Thursday is gonna be a little short. But ya... I hope ya'll are having a good time on this journey. I am enjoying writing** **it for all of you. Give me a follow on my new tumblr if you are so inclined. Sorry if it's a repeat announcement for some of you, .com My car died at work yesterday, so now I have to get up super early before I work again and get it HOPEFULLY fixed. *Prays to the automotive gods.* Leave me sweet stuff if you like what you see.**

 **promocat: ya, he's just too honorable. But maybe that'll change.**

 **LonelyStargazer: I am glad you like it. Marina is an interesting character. She loves conflict but she doesn't go rushing for it either, preferring to take a bit of a backseat to the action until she's sure victory is in her grasp. (I know, you are not the only one who had some feels about Soma and *sniff* Agni). Thank you so much! I am excited to upload more.**

 **Dardar1: No. But making him suffer a bit for the story is fun. *he'll be okay, maybe...***


	5. Chapter 5

A couple of weeks passed with no activity on either front. Sebastian could feel Ciel's irritation; it was so palpable he could almost taste it. It gave a rather bitter flavor that the demon was not especially fond of. Though he'd done the best he could to procure any and all research that might help them in their endeavors, it appeared that Marina was once again in hiding and the burglar had done the same.

The invitations for the engagement dinner arrived and Ciel resignedly sent Nina to come over and commission him a new outfit for the occasion. She'd arrived with her supplies, eager to get started, her lips slipping from a grin into a disapproving purse as she took in Sebastian's appearance.

"Still looking like death I see," She'd grumbled as she'd stalked past him. "Really, I don't know why the Earl lets you be seen in public like that."

Fortunately she'd been to the manor quite recently and Ciel's measurements hadn't changed, so there was no need for another awkward fitting session with Sebastian working to keep the brand covered. She simply asked him a few questions and jotted down some notes and that was the end of it.

The dinner was to take place in another week's time, and Sebastian did his best to make sure that Ciel was ready for the occasion, even if it pained him to do so. The Earl had said very little on the matter outside of the most obligatory statements. It was clear that he considered this to be just a blip on his more pressing matters.

They'd been staying at the townhouse for the last three weeks, wanting to keep in close proximity to London since they assumed that was where Marina was hiding and to be at hand if there were another murder or theft. As such there hadn't been anything of the kind, but Sebastian knew that it made Ciel feel better.

He readied breakfast, mulling over everything in his mind. Marina had seemed very adamant about having them discover her, but now she had all but vanished. It was very perplexing indeed. Perhaps she didn't realize they actually had borne witness to her crimes. Still that wouldn't make sense. She would want to draw all the more attention to herself.

Then there was the matter of the art theft. That had finally made the papers the previous week, as it seemed that those in higher powers had deemed it was worthy of news, thought they hadn't detailed everything that had been taken save for a few choice items. Ms. Walker's painting was not among them, an affront that Sebastian was sure the woman would be sure to notice.

Perhaps they hoped to scare off the culprit and alert them that they knew what they had done and would be on the lookout for further incidents. The festival was going to be the weekend after the engagement dinner, so it was assumed that this was also a prime reason. The article had mentioned the added security that would be in place for the event, though it was very unlikely that even the boldest of thieves would not risk doing so from such an occasion.

Maybe it had worked, though Sebastian was inclined to disagree. Usually those who turned to crime didn't see cause to remedy their behavior until they were caught, and even after that many remained unremorseful. He assumed that they were just waiting for their next target.

With a sigh, he went to go and collect Ciel for breakfast. He sincerely hoped that something would surface soon, before the other became even more ill tempered. Besides, with the vampires out of the way, as well as this irksome burglar, perhaps they could put their time to better use, before it became limited and eventually, nonexistent.

The Earl glanced up at him when he entered the bedroom, the usual frown gracing his lips. Sebastian managed the final touches to his appearance and followed him from the room as the younger man made his way toward the dining room.

"So, my lord," Sebastian said after he had run through the breakfast selections and the Earl was nibbling at a scone. "What's on the agenda for today?"

"I hadn't thought much about it," Ciel said. "Seems the trail has run cold on both our endeavors. Though I suppose we could go back to Undertaker's. I demand to know why he didn't say anything about that girl."

"Yes," Sebastian nodded. "I admit I was surprised that you didn't march over there the following day and force him to explain himself."

Ciel sipped his tea. "We had the meeting with Lady Walker that day, and I've been a bit preoccupied with other personal business, in case you've not noticed."

Of course Sebastian had noticed. He was with the Earl practically every moment of the day unless otherwise ordered. "Of course. Your engagement dinner is of the utmost importance."

"No need to say it like that," Ciel said.

"I don't know what you mean," Sebastian replied.

"With that tone," Ciel said. "The matter can't be helped."

Sebastian disagreed. No one had to do something if they truly didn't want to. He knew however that the Earl was stubborn and would choose whatever he thought he had to, even if it caused him displeasure. His master was incredibly strong in some aspects, but equally weak in areas where it sometimes counted more. The demon wanted to say so, but instead fell silent and waited for the other to be done eating.

They took a carriage to Undertaker's and Ciel made his way swiftly into the shop. The funeral director didn't seem that surprised to see them.

"Terrible business, that young man," Undertaker said when Ciel brought it up. "I had his family in here a couple days after it happened. They selected a lovely casket for him."

"Quit playing around," Ciel said. "I know you're hiding something."

"Whatever could that be?" Undertaker asked.

"That man," Ciel said. "And the girl from the river. I saw her body too. It wasn't a simple murder."

"Breaking into government buildings," Undertaker clicked his tongue. "I see you are just as much of a delinquent as your father was. Though we did have some fun times together..."

"Enough," Ciel cut in. "This isn't about my father, this is about you lying to me. You knew vampires killed that girl. Why didn't you say anything when we were here last?"

"What difference would it make?" Undertaker said. "I should think you would be wise to stay away from such creatures of darkness. Though they do inevitably seem to find you, don't they?"

Sebastian suspected that Undertaker meant him, but the man never came right out and said he knew the demon's true nature. It had been rather obvious that Undertaker was aware of the fact when Sebastian had come down with his vampire infection, since it would have overcome a normal human much more quickly, and the funeral director had given Adeline a blade to slay demons for Ciel to use in case he didn't cure Sebastian. The butler knew that it was locked away somewhere in the manor, but Ciel had never told him where. The Earl said it was better for some things to be buried forever.

"The point is, that you could have warned me," Ciel said. "The vampire in question is particularly dangerous and she has a vendetta against me. Actually, against all of us in this room, except for you."

Sebastian saw Ciel's eyes shift toward Adeline who had entered the room and was applying some varnish to a cedar coffin against the wall. She paused in her work, her lips pursing together in worry.

"I'm sure it isn't as bad as you say," Undertaker replied. "Vampires are just like everything else in this world. They all have weaknesses. Even Marina Beaumont."

Sebastian was a bit surprised to hear the vampire's name spoken out loud by Undertaker. Of course after all this time, he was sure that Adeline had given a full account on what had happened regarding Silas and his family. She'd been there through pretty much the whole encounter, save for the last bits.

The demon knew that she was incredibly perceptive and that this was a quality that worried the Earl, because she knew what Sebastian was. Somehow he could sense that this fear was unnecessary, since Adeline had proven herself trustworthy and she had a sense of honor almost as damning as Ciel's. Sebastian was quite sure that even under threat of death she'd keep her silence. Humans never ceased to amaze him.

"Be that as it may," Ciel was saying, as though Undertaker hadn't said the vampire's name. "Though her father was powerful, he was old and self-assured, and that proved to be factors in his downfall. His daughter however seems to be a match for even our best efforts."

Sebastian could have pointed out that he and Marina hadn't had very much of a battle when he'd encountered her. She was swift and very agile, but the sharpest thing about her besides her fangs was her tongue. Sebastian welcomed conceited banter from opponents during a fight, it made it that much more satisfying when he ripped them into shreds despite their talk. However, Marina's taunts had gone beyond superficial jabs and plunged deeper.

It had been very clear that she had somehow picked up on the fact that he and Ciel were not merely Earl and butler, or two halves of a demonic contract. No, the way that she'd spoken had made it irrefutable that she knew that relations between them went far beyond what they should have. He wasn't sure if Silas had suspected and told her or she'd been able to figure it out on her own, but the point was she was aware of the situation. This in itself was rather impressive since they'd barely met face to face for the first time mere hours before, but he knew of course that vampires, for all he loathed them, did possess several valuable skills.

Nevertheless, Marina had been tireless with her needling at the relationship. Sebastian had done his best to remain unaffected, but it had been hard, something he was not used to dealing with. But the way she was seeking to turn what they had into something ugly had bothered the demon. He knew that their connection was a bit unorthodox, but it hadn't seemed to matter up until that point. Nothing super significant had even happened until after his spar with Marina. Because within the next hour her father had bitten Sebastian and started the events in motion that really tested the strength of his link with the Earl.

Sebastian brought himself from his thoughts to find Ciel looking at him curiously. He wondered if the other had said something and he'd missed it. "I'm sorry, my lord, could you repeat yourself?"

"I didn't say anything," Ciel said. "It appears that we will have to wait like sitting ducks until Marina decides to surface again, or so Undertaker says. Quite annoying really, I can't stand being idle. Until then we had best come up with a few plans of attack to destroy her once and for all."

"Very good, sir," Sebastian nodded, wondering exactly what these plans would be. They made to leave the shop, pulling open the door, letting in a wave of chilly air. Though it wasn't as biting as it had been before, hinting spring was on the way.

"Congratulations on your upcoming wedding," Undertaker called.

Ciel turned around. Sebastian could see the surprise on his face. "How did you know about that?"

"The lady and I received an invitation to the dinner," Undertaker replied, pulling the thick cream-colored envelope from within his billowing sleeve. They could see the wax seal bearing the Midfords crest on the back flap. "Seeing as you have few family or friends, and Lady Elizabeth does have a liking for Adeline I suppose they saw fit to invite us. We've accepted of course."

"Thank you," Ciel replied. "It'll be honor to have you both attend."

"Indeed," Undertaker grinned, his sharp shark-like teeth glinting especially bright in the sunlight streaming from the open door. "Marriage is a tricky thing. It's a choice you'd be wise not to take lightly."

Now it was Sebastian's turn to be surprised by this statement. Undertaker was a strange character, often knowing more than he should, particularly about the supernatural world or matters that people would seek to keep private. He could see Ciel's eyes had narrowed slightly, his brows low over them, lips set in a frown as he tried to figure out the hidden meanings just beneath the surface.

"You say that like I have a choice," Ciel said.

Undertaker strode over to the entryway. His skin looked even paler in the sun, contrasted with the dark scars that crossed over his face and neck. His eyes were still hidden beneath his hat and mane of silver hair, but the demon was quite sure that they were well aware of the reactions the statement had drawn.

"Humans always have choices," He said curling one black nailed hand around the doorknob. "That is what makes life so interesting. One choice, good or bad, well it changes your life forever. You could end up eternally happy or miserable. So be careful what you pick."

Then he shut the door without another word.

* * *

 **This chapter was a little short, but hey. Sometimes there needs to be a bit of filler. Next week is definitely gonna get _very_ interesting. Also, last night I started watching Devilman Crybaby, because everyone seems to be raving about it. The art style isn't my favorite, but I am very interested in the story so far. **

**LonelyStargazer: Thank you so much. I enjoyed the previous chapter too. Marina loves to get in on the action, but she doesn't mind taking a backseat and having others do her dirty work for her. But as for the last question, its gonna be an interesting turn of events for sure. But thanks for your concern about my car. It was a dead battery but it's replaced and my little car runs fine now. Your karma helped for sure. :)**

 **Dardar1: HAHA! Yes, that was a bit of slip in his nice calm demon exterior. He regrets it immensely. Huge embarrassment. (even though he meant it). But Ciel *is* jealous. I guess i would be too. Sebastian is a rather fine specimen.**

 **Ran: ya he might have to scale that back. Not good for all powerful demon appearances. But I love when other emotions poke through.**


	6. Chapter 6

Ciel sat at the table listening to Elizabeth's father drone on in a speech about how delighted he was to have Ciel as a future son, how he was sure that the marriage would be full of happiness and good fortune, etc. etc. The Marquess said as much practically every time that he encountered Ciel, never seeming to keep his emotions in check, often warmly embracing the Earl and engaging him in jovial conversation.

In stark contrast to her husband, Francis Midford was the picture of austerity. She was very aware of her appearances and conducted herself with the utmost order and grace. She had made it clear that she wished for a man that could adequately care for her daughter, and she often seemed doubtful that Ciel could fill this role, even after so much time. However, she understood that the match would be advantageous for both families and so she appeared to finally have accepted that the young man would do right by Elizabeth.

Ciel hoped that she were correct. He glanced at the Marchioness who was holding her glass of wine, her lips pressed in a thin line. He gripped his own, perhaps a bit too tightly, but he feared that his hand would shake too much and he might drop it if he didn't. The speech was nice to hear, but it made his belly crawl a bit with shame, as he wasn't the pure, upstanding individual Alexis Midford was painting him to be in front of the guests.

The party was quite a small gathering, with just the Midfords, Ciel, Undertaker and Adeline in attendance, along with a few other close friends of the Midfords that Ciel had seen at various events over the years but wasn't particularly familiar with.

His eyes flicked over to the wall where Sebastian was standing with a couple of the other servants. As though he could feel the other's gaze on him, the demon's crimson irises found his own. Ciel looked away, the shame further bubbling within him.

The previous week had raced by too quickly, the days passing in a blur. Ciel and Sebastian had gone over some possible ways to draw out Marina and put an end to her but none of them of course could be put into play if she didn't surface.

Additionally, there was the matter of the art theft. Another painting had been taken about three days previous and they'd gone to question the owner, Sir Robert Allen. He was not quite as rich as Lady Walker had been, but he definitely had taken less of an interest in Sebastian. He too had said he'd glimpsed the culprit before they departed from his townhouse. The description matched Lillian Walker's almost exactly.

This was even more troubling with the arts festival looming the coming weekend. He had hoped to have apprehended or at least had a very tangible lead on the thief, mostly because if he had, he wouldn't have had to go to it. As such, he definitely was obligated to be in attendance now. He sincerely hoped that the culprit would make a move. For once one of the social engagements he was forced to endure would prove to be interesting.

He was drawn from his thoughts as the tone in the Marquess' voice changed. He was becoming more emotional and Ciel could see tears of pride glinting in the corners of the man's eyes. It made him feel even worse, to have someone so proud of him when he'd done nothing to warrant such. Of course he was going to make up for it, he was going to marry Elizabeth even though…

Sebastian. He took another glance at the other, but this time the butler wasn't looking at him.

"I propose we drink to the health of my daughter, Elizabeth and the young man she has decided to add permanently to our family, Ciel Phantomhive."

The toast wrapped up and everyone raised their glasses and sipped them in celebration. Ciel took a drink, the liquid tasting more bitter than usual on his tongue and he held it in his mouth for a few moments before he managed to swallow it down.

Alexis clapped him on the shoulder and he turned to look at the other, the ghost of a sincere smile playing on his lips.

"Ciel, my boy," The Marquess grinned, his voice thick with emotion. "I am truly thrilled to have this day in sight at last and another son to call my own."

"The honor is all mine, sir," Ciel said, hoping that he wouldn't vomit.

Now came another hard part. Ciel and Elizabeth had been betrothed since they were small but now this was time for an official engagement. The Earl knew what this meant. He felt in his pocket and brought out a ring. As though he were watching himself from outside his body, he saw someone who looked like him slipping the ring onto Elizabeth's slender finger. She stared at it in awe and he could practically feel her excitement radiating from her body.

He wished he could share it.

Ciel heard people congratulating him, their voices muffled as though he were hearing them underwater. He stared around the room, smiling and nodding at everyone in turn, but he really just wanted to sink into the floor. Being married was not something he'd envisioned for himself, but he'd not been opposed to the idea. Of course that was before he'd gotten involved with Sebastian. That had changed everything.

The ladies filed out of the dining room after a time, leaving only the gentlemen behind. Congratulations continued in general form, and many of the men engaged in smoking of cigars. Ciel nearly declined in consideration of his asthma, but decided that it would be better to participate, since he refused to let too many people know of his condition. The cigar was awful and he stamped it out and surreptitiously disposed of the remains in a large planter after a couple puffs.

As the evening came to a close, Ciel had never been so relieved to be leaving a party. He bid goodbye to the guests and departed himself, stepping out into the quiet night air, Sebastian at his heels. Once he collapsed into the carriage he felt he could breathe normally again. He leaned back against the seat, closing his eyes and letting out a sigh of relief.

"Well, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Sebastian asked.

Ciel's eyes slid back open and he shot Sebastian a look. "That was one of the most uncomfortable experiences I've ever had in my life."

"I'm sorry, my lord," Sebastian said, but he didn't look it. "I suppose on the bright side, that this might be the most difficult hurdle in the whole affair. You truthfully won't have to do much from here on out."

"Are you serious?" Ciel asked. "Elizabeth is going to set a date soon. She'll probably want to get it done as soon as possible, but Aunt Francis will advise her not to be so hasty and extend it a bit longer. Regardless you can be assured that within the year, it'll happen. I have no family left, but Elizabeth does and there will certainly be meetings with other relatives, more parties and such that we'll have to attend, both as a pair and individually. Then the actual ceremony and everything that comes after that."

"Yes, I imagine your wedding night will be quite the spectacle," Sebastian said with a touch of sarcasm.

Ciel blanched. He hadn't even considered this possibility. Of course he and Elizabeth would be expected to reproduce, to carry on the family line and title. He had no practical experience with the female body, only what he'd read in books starting when he was about thirteen but he knew that they were completely different than his own anatomy. Not that it had mattered. He'd never thought it would be an issue. But the idea of having to be with her in the way he had been with Sebastian didn't interest him. It filled him with anxiety.

"It's never going to end."

Ciel cursed himself for being so open, but in the month since Elizabeth had broken the news he found it increasingly difficult to keep silent. Ciel hated not being in control of things, it made him feel weak and powerless, mental remnants left over from his time with the cult. He always strove to have things align the way he wanted them to, he played the game so carefully that the pieces always were placed in favor of him.

Only now there were too many players in his life and they all had their own pieces. It was like imagining a chessboard with four different games going at once: his marriage, Marina, the apprehension of art thief at the Queen's order, and his own revenge. The game on the last one had become rather stale over the years, but maybe, he reasoned, he should put more effort into it. If he achieved his revenge, Sebastian would consume his soul and then… well then the rest of it wouldn't matter, would it?

He shook his head, imagining the board littered with pieces in his mind. It was like every space was covered and there was nowhere to move. No matter which way he turned, the pieces turned into figures. He saw a blood-red set that melted into Marina Beaumont along with her late father and mother and their brood of fledgling vampires, then there was a golden set that mimicked the Queen and her company, pieces of jade green that represented the Midfords and his other acquaintances, and the traditional white that had always been his original enemy. Those of whom were like faceless statues, their true identities masked behind veils of unspeakable evil.

It was exhausting. He wasn't sure that his own set, black as the night, could battle out so many opponents anymore. It had been easier when there were only two sides, his captors and the murderers of his family, and himself. He'd known what was important and he had Sebastian there to help him achieve it. Now there were other factors at play and his stomach roiled at the unfairness of the situation. Life wasn't fair of course, and he never expected it to be kind to him again. He didn't know what he'd thought would happen as the years wore on, but he had allowed himself a bit of peace he hadn't experienced since before his parents had died.

Sebastian's touch brought him from his thoughts. He stared at the other, glancing down at the pale hand closed around his wrist. Black nails and the equally dark contract mark. Of course, no matter what happened or where his life took him, he was bound to the demon. The other would remain truthful to him, keep him from harm, and remain by his side until the very end. Even if he couldn't be with Sebastian how he wished anymore when he eventually married Elizabeth, the butler would always be there. He'd never be alone again.

Ciel leaned forward then, rising off the seat, adjusting his weight so the movement of the carriage wouldn't put him too off balance. He made his way over to Sebastian, sliding onto the other's lap and meeting the other's mouth in a rather needy kiss. He drew back slightly, tracing his lips along Sebastian's neck, smirking against the skin as Sebastian responded to his touch.

"Sebastian," He whispered. "I want—."

His voice broke off as Sebastian grabbed his face. He didn't have to say what he wanted. Because that was it. He wanted to be together with Sebastian and he wanted to thoroughly enjoy the other when they got back to the townhouse. The stresses of everything had left little time for regular relations, seeing as he was usually tired, especially by the end of the day. Ciel also supposed that this might be part of the reason he was in such a bad mood.

He knew that his behavior was not one that was becoming of an Earl or of anyone in high society or with morals. Men didn't act like this with other men and if they did it wasn't talked about openly, at least within Ciel's circles. It certainly didn't occur when engaged to a lady who was sure to be disgraced if the acts were brought to light. This was nothing to say of other consequences.

Ciel pulled back, looping his arms around the demon, settling against Sebastian's chest. Even if things appeared bleak, they were not quite so dark that there wasn't a dim bit of light within it. Perhaps things might turn out all right, and even if they didn't, Sebastian would be there in some form to help him weather through. He would deal with that when the time came however, if it ever did.

"Sebastian," He whispered. "When we get back to the townhouse, I want you to make me forget everything."

* * *

Sebastian tried to recall a time when relations had been this frenzied between the two of them. He supposed there were periods where they engaged in sexual acts more frequently than others, dependent on their moods and other more external circumstances such as how full the Earl's calendar was or the status of the company. But Sebastian couldn't remember the Earl needing him this badly for quite some time, if ever.

Everything had been relatively normal as the carriage made the way to the townhouse for the night. They'd ascended the stairs and Ciel had waited for Sebastian to enter his room before he did, which was unusual.

Then the door had locked and Ciel had practically pounced on him.

His lips crashed against Sebastian's, hard enough that their teeth had clicked together. Fingers worked hard, tugging the tailcoat off Sebastian's shoulders. The touch was frantic, his digits almost like claws, as though he couldn't get Sebastian out of his clothing fast enough. It was a very stark contrast to the rather subdued presence he'd exhibited in the carriage.

They hadn't made it to the bed either, and Sebastian was sure if he left it, he was sure to have a massive lump on the back of his head from where it had hit the floor. Sebastian didn't mind rough relations, but he knew that they wouldn't solve anything. Those thoughts had been quickly driven from his mind as the Earl's mouth had unexpectedly closed around him.

Ciel had meant what he'd said about wanting to forget and Sebastian had done his best to deliver on it, but even the demon had admit it had been exhausting this time. It was as though the dinner had brought out something wild in the other, something that refused to be contained and stuffed into a little box of polite society.

Three rounds later, Ciel had finally drained himself and passed out on the carpet in front of the fireplace. Sebastian sighed and picked up the lithe body, bringing it over to the bed where at last the Earl made it between the sheets. Sebastian considered climbing in after him, he was certain that would be what the other would want, but instead he moved away from the bed to the window and shut the curtains, which he hadn't yet a chance to close. Then he'd started to collect his clothing from where it was scattered about the floor.

He sighed heavily as he picked up his shirt, realizing that Ciel had ripped the shoulder and dislodged most of the buttons in his haste to rid him of it, minor inconveniences of course in the grand scheme of things. Sebastian abandoned the shirt in favor of his pants. He could wander about bare-chested if need be, but going pant-less was definitely not acceptable. Gathering the remainder of his garments, he unlocked the door and slipped from the room.

Sebastian made his way down the hall and through the townhouse to his chambers to find a spare shirt. Once he'd changed, he went over to the washbasin and splashed some water on his face. He stared at himself in the small mirror, wondering how he had let himself get into this position and how he didn't mind it at all.

 _Perhaps there were some grains of truth in the things Marina Beaumont said about me,_ He thought as his mind drifted back to the sleeping Earl upstairs.

Suddenly, the townhouse felt stifling. He wanted nothing more than to leave it and keep going far away. Maybe it would do him some good to clear his head. He could be back before Ciel woke up, and even if he weren't he could return at a moment's notice when the young lord called him. The other need never know he'd disappeared.

Sebastian found himself outside again. He realized that this had actually been happening a lot at night when Ciel had drifted off. The demon had tried at first to remain within the manor and now the townhouse, working on his usual nightly duties, the ones he'd primarily done before everything changed between himself and Ciel.

Then that had started to become tedious and he spent a good deal of time outside wandering the grounds. He told himself that he was doing it to make sure that everything was safe, but that wasn't entirely true. He would know how secure the perimeter was equally as well from Ciel's bed.

Tonight it was especially bad. Even being outside, Sebastian felt as though the world were closing in around him, threating to crush him into the Earth. He thought about the dinner and how miserable Ciel had been throughout the entire thing. How miserable Ciel had been since Elizabeth had arrived and informed him of the next stage in his life.

Ciel hated losing control and Sebastian knew this. He didn't particularly like not being in control either, so the situation was rather difficult for the both of them. When coupled with the stressors of the Queen and Marina, Sebastian was surprised that Ciel hadn't snapped under the pressure already. Though he guessed that the Earl had lost it in some form that night. He'd been like an animal in the bedroom.

Sebastian touched the side of his neck where Ciel had bitten it. There were several similar marks on his body, but he didn't mind. He'd repaid Ciel back in kind.

Sebastian wanted something different. He didn't want to be there anymore, standing in the trees, which were beginning to show the first signs of spring. The grass was becoming thicker underfoot. But Sebastian didn't see the beauty in it. The most beautiful thing was tangled in the sheets upstairs. But the whole affair unsettled him. The Earl was slipping slightly.

The demon weighed his options. There were still several more hours before dawn broke, and if he didn't wake him, Sebastian knew that the other would continue to snooze on. Especially after the night they had had. Sebastian was fairly sure Ciel wouldn't wake up anytime soon. That steeled his resolve.

He was quicker than any human in his current form, able to cover large distances in almost no time at all. However, he had primarily stayed within the confines of wherever he was with Ciel for the most part, only journeying great distances when the other accompanied him. It was because of this that travel was slow. Because the Earl was human.

As a demon, however, Sebastian could move to other places if he wished without having to physically do so. He could transport pretty much anywhere, since he didn't have Ciel in tow. And he could do it within seconds.

The city was different than London, but still bore the mark of European architecture. Sebastian made his way down the cobblestone street. There were still several people out, some walking alone, others in groups or pairs. He drew some stares from a few of them, but he ignored it. They were gone in a moment.

He could see the tower hovering over the city. It's great lattice frame seeming ever blacker than the night sky. There were small gas bulbs lit in parts of it, giving more of a shape to the structure. If he hadn't been certain of his location he definitely could be assured of it now. He knew that Ciel was curious to see the Eiffel Tower, and perhaps one day he might, and Sebastian would most likely pretend that he'd never laid eyes on it before that time.

The demon continued on, slithering into an alleyway, tired of the exposure that the main streets offered. He had truthfully had no reason to hide. No one knew him here. Well, almost no one.

A woman leaned out of a doorway, skirt inching up her thigh to show a shapely leg. Her mouth was smeared with red and her teeth were a bit rotted. She proposed something rather indecent in French and Sebastian raised an eyebrow. He shook his head and declined back to her, the words falling easily from his tongue. He momentarily wondered what Ciel might say if Sebastian spoke that way to him, offering what the whore had suggested in the foreign language. He smirked as he imagined the flush that would spread across the Earl's skin.

Sebastian had to admit that it was rather exhilarating to be free in a loose sense of the word. He knew that any moment Ciel might awake and call him back, but he was confident that wouldn't happen. Besides, maybe he wouldn't go back just yet even if it did. Even if the contract would burn on his hand until he obeyed it. He fished his gloves from his pocket, realizing that he probably shouldn't have been without them. However, after not being required to wear them for the better part of the last few years, he did sometimes forget. Maybe that was what had warranted the weird stares.

Eventually he came to a familiar looking part of town. The houses were nicer here and the residences better cared for. There would be no whores lurking in the alleys. He continued on down the street. Here it was also less busy. There were almost no people walking about. He looked at the digits on the townhomes, counting the iron numbers until he reached the one he was looking for.

The stone looked white in the moonlight, glittering slightly from the minerals within it. The townhouse was different than Ciel's. It was very narrow and three stories high, plus an attic. It mirrored the ones on either side of it and across the street. The windows were tall and skinny and lined in front with iron balconies that matched the numbers to the house. The most noticeable difference between this one and the others was the door was a bright blue.

Sebastian stared at the door. It had been a long time since he'd come to this residence. At least twenty years, maybe more. He'd lost count. Time passed in the blink of an eye when you had so much of it. He raised his hand and knocked tentatively. He was quite aware of the late hour, but there was no way he'd be able to get away with something like this in the daylight. Not while Ciel was awake.

The door opened a crack and beyond the darkness he could see a single ice blue eye regard him for a moment, before the door swung open all the way with such force it was a wonder it didn't tear straight off the hinges. A light snapped on at the same time, bathing the entryway and the top step where Sebastian stood in a golden glow.

An incredibly beautiful woman stood there. Blonde hair was pinned up a bit around her face, but most cascaded down her back in waves. She flashed a smile of brilliant white teeth at him. The woman was wearing a dressing gown, but it was loosely tied and had fallen partly open, revealing a rather low-cut nightdress. It did little to conceal the shape and swell of her breasts. Leaning against the doorway, eyes, the color of cornflower sparkled with recognition.

Sebastian smiled. "Hello, Elise."

"It's been some time," She said. "Please come in."

* * *

 **The plot thickens...**

 **Dardar1: Haha Undertaker is just tired of Ciel making bad choices. Not that Lizzie is a bad choice but...**

 **promocat: no he doesn't. But yes, family and honor are super important to him.**


	7. Chapter 7

Ciel hated nightmares.

He hadn't had any for quite some time he supposed because the sources of them had faded over the years. He remembered when he'd first escaped the cult. Those nights had been the worst. Remembering the horrible things he'd seen and felt. Going to bed at the end of each day had filled him with dread and he would wake up screaming often. But as he grew older and Sebastian swiftly dealt with any threats to his life and safety, his anxiety had ebbed. It didn't entirely disappear of course, but simply laid in wait until the next perfect opportunity to flare up again.

Now it appeared with the strain of everything had brought them to the surface. He lay in bed, twisting about in the sheets, feeling as though something were missing but unable to wake up from it to find out.

He was in a room. It was rather lavishly decorated, reminding him of Lillian Walker's mansion. There were noticeable differences however. Where Lady Walker had a home of light and glittering exuberance, this space was darker and more sinister.

Marina Beaumont entered from a door in the wall. She moved toward him slowly, her dark blue eyes trained on him like a lynx. He felt fear and realized that he probably smelled of it to her sensitive nose. Saw her lips curling up in a smile as she took in his terror. He wanted to move but for some reason he couldn't.

Ciel knew it was a dream but it felt real. It reminded him of the ones that had brought about the start of his physical interest in Sebastian, except those had promised something pleasurable for him. This was the exact opposite and he waited, paralyzed as the vampire slunk toward him.

"Did you really think that you'd be able to escape from me?" She asked. She reached out a pale hand. Fingers stroked along his cheek and he jerked away as though she had burned him. Marina laughed.

"Get away," Ciel spat.

"You don't appear to be in any position to be giving me orders, love," Marina said. "You're just a human. Not even an incredibly decent one at that. Normally, one such as you would not be worthy of my time. But you killed my father, so now I'll kill you. Slowly, of course."

She grinned and he could see her fangs, sharp in her mouth. Marina leaned toward him. He felt her lips graze his neck and he tried to lift his arms to push her away. They felt heavy, as though they were weighed down with cement.

Her fingers reached up, slowly untying his eye patch. Ciel shut his eyes as it fell away, though he knew it was pointless. She no doubt already was aware of the placement of his contract seal. Maybe she was going to start by cutting out his eye. He refused to show any more fear, even though he knew that he probably reeked of it.

"I'll kill you," Ciel said.

"I don't think so," Marina replied coolly. She grabbed his face, squeezing it hard, forcing him to look at her. "You're like a bug. I can crush you in a second."

Ciel supposed that this was true. He tried to pull away from her but she held him fast. He stared at her beautifully terrifying face. Her eyes were luminous. "Sebastian will kill you. Just like he did to the rest of your disgusting family."

Marina raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

Ciel nodded.

Marina began to laugh. "I'm not afraid of that demon. You've spoiled him. My father told me all those years ago about how unnatural your connection is."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You fuck," Marina hissed.

Ciel felt bile rise in his throat. Of course he suspected that Marina would know. And besides, this was a dream and his subconscious was privy to all the secrets locked inside his mind. Still, it unnerved him to hear someone saying it out loud. He struggled to appear unaffected however, tilting his chin up proudly.

"What of it?" He asked.

"Well," Marina said. "It makes you weak. And that will be your downfall. You think he cares about you?"

Ciel didn't know how to answer this. He truthfully didn't know how Sebastian felt about him. The other had claimed to be fond of him, but what did that mean for a demon? He knew the butler desired his soul. He clearly desired his body as well. Perhaps that was all there was to it. Demons were probably not capable of human affection.

The vampire didn't give him a chance to answer. She seemed to sense everything she needed to know within his pregnant pause. "No."

"You don't know that," Ciel said, though he knew it was too late.

"Oh, but I do," Marina slithered around him. "You will never be more than a meal to him. Probably not even a very satisfying one at that."

"He'll kill you," Ciel shouted. "He'll _kill_ you!"

"Then where is he?"

"What?" Ciel asked.

"Where is he?" Marina repeated. "Guess you don't really matter after all."

Ciel was aware of the darkness that had closed in around him. He hadn't noticed it before but the entire time they had been talking, the shadows had begun to creep into the space, eating up the scenery. He watched as the walls and floor disappeared slowly as more and more of the room was shrouded in obscurity. Until all that remained was he and Marina.

"You're alone," She whispered. "You'll _always_ be alone."

Ciel shot up in bed, sweat drenching his skin. He was tangled in the sheets and he tore them away from his body. His breath came in short, painful gasps. Heart hammering, he reached out into the darkness, fingers closing around air.

The bed was empty. He was the only one in it. He felt along the mattress, noting that the side normally occupied by Sebastian was cold under his touch. It appeared that the other hadn't been present for quite some time. A soft whimper escaped his throat and he closed his eyes at the sound.

Where was Sebastian? The demon was always there during the night when he wanted him to be. At least he assumed so. He'd never woken up to find the other gone in the middle of the night. At least not in years.

Ciel thought about calling for the butler, but he decided against it, reasoning if Sebastian weren't there then there had to be a good cause for it. Maybe he was off finding out some more information about one of their investigations. That would be the only logical explanation.

Now that the nightmare had had time to settle around him, he spared it some thought. He knew that he shouldn't dwell on such things but he couldn't help it. Especially when they had felt so real and hit so close to home. The vampire's words had chilled him. He knew on some level that they weren't authentic, that they were merely manifestations of the uncertainties that pricked in the corners of his mind.

Ciel sighed softly. Even if they weren't real, they had still hurt. And he knew on some level that they probably were the sorts of things that the woman would say if she got the chance. Ciel had only briefly met her at a party, and at the time she'd been playing the part of a human. But Sebastian had given him some details on Silas' daughter. She was perhaps even more formidable than her father had been.

The Earl curled into himself, trying to regulate his breathing. He pulled the covers back around his body, shivering as the sweat began to cool on his skin. Even if was a dream, the figment of Marina Beaumont had been right.

He was alone.

* * *

Sebastian followed the woman into the house. She led him from the foyer, down a hallway and through to a sitting room, sprawling herself across the maroon velvet settee. He allowed himself a few moments to survey the room, taking in the piano, the shelves lined with books.

"So," She said, further arranging her dressing gown around her. It left nothing to the imagination, but she made no move to cover herself. "What brings you here?"

"What, I can't visit an old friend?" Sebastian asked. He figured it would be good to deal with the pleasantries before delving into the true reason he was there.

"I suppose you can," Elise replied. She stared absentmindedly on the rings sparkling on her hand for a few moments before she glanced up. "It's just unusual. I haven't heard from you in a while."

"I've been rather busy," Sebastian said. "Particularly in the last few years. Something that has taken up a lot of my time. Besides, you've never been a shrinking violet, Elise. You have many other friends, of both sorts now I'm sure."

"This is true," She said. Her eyes regarded his appearance. "You look different. What are you called these days?"

"Sebastian Michaelis," He replied.

"Sebastian," She repeated. A soft smile graced her lips. "I like it, it suits you."

"If you say so," Sebastian replied. Initially he had hated the title due to it having been his young master's dog's name, but he supposed in time it had grown on him much like everything else. "Anyway, how have you been?"

"I can't complain," Elise glanced around the room. "This city has been very good to us."

"How's Henry?"

"He's well," Elise said. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Why do you ask?"

"It's proper to ask after your host's companions, is it not?"

"That's not what he is and you know it," Elise said, lip curling. She tilted her head up, regarding him with a stony gaze, her previous warmth extinguished. "Now, tell me what you're doing here. You'd be wise not to try my patience."

"I'd forgotten how impassioned you can be," Sebastian remarked. He chuckled softly. He felt as though he were staring at the Earl, Elise's sour expression vaguely mirroring his master's. "Though passion can also make one susceptible to rather unpleasant results."

Elise huffed at him. "I will throw you out, you know. You've always been one to slither around what it was that you actually wished to do or say. We've not spoken in so long and the last time you were here, I might remind you, things did not go well."

"I apologize for behaving so rudely," Sebastian said. "I do hope you can forgive me."

"Perhaps if you can produce a shred of honesty," Elise replied. "You mentioned being busy."

"Yes," Sebastian said. "The last few years have been rather interesting to say the least."

He realized of course that this was a gross understatement. Things had been a whirlwind of activity over the many months since he'd entered Ciel's service. It hadn't always been pleasant but he supposed in the grand scheme of it all it wasn't as bad as it could have been. However, now he had reached a plateau and things couldn't go on as they had. He wanted something different and something different was sitting across from him.

Sebastian drew himself from his thoughts. Elise was staring at him. Her lips were pressed together in a hard line and she had her brows slightly raised. He knew that she was true to her word and that if he didn't give her what she wanted she was indeed going to toss him out. That couldn't happen. He needed her.

"Well?" She prompted. She crossed her legs the other way and Sebastian stared as her milky leg slipped from under the hem of her silken nightgown. A slipper dangled lazily off her petite foot. Elise had never had much shame, but she was still extremely classy. It was one of the things he liked about her.

"I entered into a contract," Sebastian said.

"Oh?" She asked voice laced with curiosity. "You've not had one of those for a while. I thought you'd stopped. Last I heard you were going on about the merits of procuring just the right souls, seasoning them to perfection and all that."

"I meant what I said," Sebastian shrugged. "After so long one does become bored and develop a sort of finesse."

Elise hummed. "Indeed."

Sebastian had to admit it was liberating to be able to talk about such things with someone. It had been so long since he'd spent any time with one of his own kind he hadn't realized how much he'd missed it. Elise had always been a friend, his closest if he had to say, though demons didn't set much store in that sort of thing.

They'd fallen out of touch a number of years before and she did seem to harbor some slight bitterness over their past disagreements. It appeared though that even if she had no wish to forgive him that she was interested to know what he was doing there. In honesty, he wasn't totally sure the purpose of his visit either. He knew what he wanted from her, but wasn't entirely certain that she would indulge in his desires.

His mind drifted back, hundreds of miles, to the Earl. He hoped that the other was having a peaceful slumber, but there was a slight prickling in the back of his hand that told him that this might not be the case. With a twinge of regret, he wondered if perhaps Ciel had awoken. If he had, what had the other thought when he'd discovered Sebastian was gone? If his master had wanted him though, he'd have called for him. He pulled off the glove and rubbed over the skin, pushing the thoughts away.

Sebastian opened his mouth but suddenly Elise's expression changed. Her eyes settled upon the contract mark on the back of his hand and the corners of her mouth curled up mischievously. "Nooo."

She said the word softly, drawing it out as her grin widened. She leaned forward her expression knowing. "Oh my…I never thought _you_ would fall for a human."

Sebastian considered denying her claims, but it would defeat the purpose of his visit. Besides, he wasn't ashamed of what he felt for Ciel, but this was the first time he had admitted his feelings to anyone but the Earl. He supposed though, that if it had to be anyone he shared the news with, it should be Elise. She would understand. Though it irritated him a bit that she could read him so easily.

"Trust me, I am just as surprised as you are," Sebastian replied.

"I knew there _had_ to be some significant reason you would drop by my humble home in the middle of the night," Elise said. "I mean, outside of enjoying my illustrious company of course."

"Ever the picture of modesty," Sebastian rolled his eyes.

"You adore me," Elise replied. "So, this human—what's his name?"

Sebastian hesitated. He didn't know exactly how to answer this, since he was not supposed to lie per the contract, and well…

"He calls himself Ciel," He said at last. It felt strange to hear his master's name on his tongue, but at least he'd avoided breaching the rules. "Earl Ciel Phantomhive."

"I see, a noble," Elise nodded. "Is he handsome?"

"What sort of question is that?" Sebastian asked.

"So he is."

"He is not entirely unfortunate looking by human standards, I suppose," Sebastian said. He felt a slight heat blossom on his cheeks, averting his gaze when Elise smirked.

"I would have assumed not," Elise's grin widened. He could see her fangs glittering as she threw back her head in amusement. "I mean you've always had certain…exquisite tastes. I can't imagine you with someone dreadful."

This conversation was not going at all how Sebastian had thought that it was going to. He hadn't expected Elise to react in the way she had, though he guessed given her history, he shouldn't have been surprised. However, discussing things like whether Ciel was good-looking was awkward.

Of course his lusty demon side had been quick to take note of his master's beauty even at the very start of their contract. He'd been an adorable child (though the other would be sure to kill him if he ever voiced so out loud). The Earl had continued to become even more stunning with age. Now it was just simply a part of the other that Sebastian had come to appreciate.

Elise shrugged. "You were always different though. Not like a lot of the rest of them. Other demons. I suppose that's why I enjoyed you so much. There's more to life than just blood and destruction."

At one point Sebastian would have been inclined to disagree. Demons were creatures of darkness and loved causing chaos. However, being with the Earl had softened him a bit to that lifestyle, he supposed. It was exactly what Marina Beaumont had declared. He hated that she was right in part, but understood that regardless he was still a demon. Outside of Ciel, everything about him remained the same.

"Anyway, what was the true point of your visit?" Elise asked, voice cutting through his thoughts. "I know you didn't come here to trade niceties and wax poetic about the past. You were never one for idle chitchat."

"You're correct," Sebastian said. He leaned forward; narrowing his eyes so she would know it was no joking matter. "I want you to tell me how you did it."

"Did what?"

He sighed. Was she really going to be that way, pretending she didn't know exactly what he was talking about? "I want you to tell me how you turned Henry into a demon."

* * *

 **Told you guys this was going to be one hell of a week in regards to updates. I truly love Elise, she's my favorite OC I have created to date. I hope everyone will enjoy her as well; writing her interactions with Sebastian have been some of my favorite scenes. Everyone was very concerned that Sebastian was going to cheat on Ciel, but fortunately this could not be further from the truth. Thank you to everyone who's read favorited or reviewed this story. It means everything to me. So many comments today, keep them coming. I love them so much.**

 **ran: yes theres like three stories going at once in this one. It's been a satisfying challenge.**

 **Dardar1: haha, not intentionally. Though Ciel would probably be a bit jealous if he ever laid eyes on Elise (she is a serious bombshell). ;)**

 **Madison Angel Kaiba: yes, yes she is. His oldest (and dearest if he were the sentimental sort). Though she does get on his nerves and is a merciless teaser. She definitely plays a big role in this story so she will have many more appearances. I actually felt a little bad writing that whole engagement dinner scene. I actually like Elizabeth but no Ciel shouldn't marry her. Everyone will just have to see what happens.**

 **a french girl: thank you so much. I do try to keep them as close to canon as possible in this one. My AU makes their characters a bit different, but they do share some similar qualities. I enjoyed throwing a new challenge at their relationship. I'd be sad for Ciel if Sebastian were to be unfaithful as well, but even though he's a demon he only has eyes for one.**

 **LonelyStargazer: That's totally alright. I've been trying to get more vocal about commenting stories I love. But you're welcome. I don't always want to put like graphic smut, just the suggestion or light description is sometimes enough. (but don't worry there will be more to come). Sebastian at this point was just done with Ciel's "woe is me" attitude. Elise is the best, honestly, she gets under Sebastian's skin in the best way.**

 **promocat: yes, I'm looking forward to exploring it more since we (so far) have gotten zero backstory on him in the canon work.**


	8. Chapter 8

Ciel awoke to find himself in Sebastian's arms the next morning and it thoroughly unsettled him. He had been certain that he'd awoken from a rather horrible nightmare in the middle of the night and the demon hadn't been with him. He would have bet a lifetime supply of desserts on it. However, the other acted as though this weren't the case, making no mention of any absence and by the end of breakfast Ciel was convinced that perhaps he had made the whole thing up.

This did nothing to soothe his already ragged nerves. Maybe he was imagining things. That wouldn't bode well if people caught wind of it, especially since Elizabeth was sure to start sending out announcements regarding the engagement. He still couldn't believe he'd gone through with it so far, but this he supposed the least imposing hurdle. He could fake enjoying a dinner or a party, but he wasn't sure he could fake intimacy.

He glanced at Sebastian. It had been quite the experience the previous night. He'd awoken feeling as though he had done some very intense exercise and he supposed in a way he had. Every muscle ached like it was stretched to its peak. That was to say nothing of other parts of him.

Ciel knew that he had behaved rather oddly, but in the heat of everything he'd not been able to help it. Every time he was pulled in the direction opposite of what he wanted he clawed his way back toward other desires. He knew eventually it was going to have to end. He couldn't keep playing both parts. It was exhausting.

Still, getting fucked on the carpet in front of his fireplace until he passed out… he was sure was never going to be respectable to anyone. Truthfully he couldn't have cared less. It had felt good, distracted him from the things he didn't want to think about. Sebastian had been all too happy to indulge.

"So, my lord," The butler said once they were back in the study of the townhouse. "What did you wish to focus on today? I imagine you had a rather sound sleep considering your head clearing exercises last night."

Ciel raised an eyebrow. He had heard the demon correctly, but he couldn't believe the other had said something like that. "I am finding that my head is still a great deal filled with a lot of pointless and irritating bits of information."

"Perhaps you'll need another session," Sebastian smirked.

"Perhaps I need another _instructor_ ," Ciel spat back. He stood up from the desk and crossed his arms, eyes narrowing. "What's the matter with you today? You're acting—odd."

"Am I?" Sebastian asked. "I do apologize, sir."

Ciel sighed. "No, my night was not entirely pleasant. I didn't rest as soundly as I'd hoped."

 _Which you'd know if you were here,_ He thought venomously. _Unless I really am finally losing my mind. Would be about time, really._

He tried to keep himself occupied the rest of the morning, hoping that focusing on the usual business such as the Funtom Company would alleviate his stress, normal things that didn't involve the supernatural. However hard he tried to concentrate, other thoughts kept seeping in through the cracks.

Sebastian made himself scarce as usual and Ciel was both grateful and sorry for this. On the one hand he still felt as though the other were hiding something from him. He knew that he could demand an answer and per their agreement Sebastian would be forced to tell the truth. However, if he were perhaps wrong then he didn't need the other doubting his trust. He tried to tell himself that he didn't care about this but knew that he would be the one lying. Alternatively, he craved the demon being near him, which made him a bit apprehensive. He supposed though that it was only natural to become dependent on the other, having been together for so long.

"So," He said later that night after he'd sat down to dinner. "This festival should be interesting. Can't say I'm especially looking forward to it."

"Perhaps it will not be so bad," Sebastian replied.

"It's a party, it'll be bad," Ciel sighed. He stared at the dinner that Sebastian had prepared. Roast duckling with applesauce, boiled parsnips, green peas. It was all delicious as usual. Such a fine meal was wasted on his stomach, which was still a coil of nervousness.

"Well," Sebastian leaned toward him. "If it becomes too unbearable we could always leave early. Though I shudder to think at how the Queen would feel about you shirking responsibilities, especially since we have nothing to show in regards to her request."

Ciel tossed down his fork. It hit the plate with a sharp clang and then fell to the floor where it clattered with the unmistakable tinny sound of metal striking marble. Normally he wouldn't be prone to such an outburst, especially not given his age, but how _dare_ Sebastian imply that he had not put his every effort into locating the thief? That was so say nothing of the much larger threat that was a vengeful vampire flitting about the city.

He felt his cheeks heat up slightly as the magnitude of his actions registered. He pushed back roughly from the table. "I think I'm done here. I'll bathe and ready myself for bed later. I've no further need of your assistance."

"There's no need to get touchy, my lord," Sebastian said. "I was merely pointing out—"

"You were merely pointing out that which is completely unnecessary," Ciel spat. He rose from his chair. "I am aware that our labors have yielded no results. There is no need to state the obvious. The Double Charles' visit last week did as much. Maybe _you_ should try concentrating your energies onto locating Marina."

"I've tried," Sebastian said. "She must have vacated the city as I have not sensed her since shortly after the second kill."

"Try harder," Ciel growled. "Leave me until morning." He was finished with this conversation. Spinning on his heel, he stalked from the room, closing the door with a satisfied snap behind him.

He made his way up the stairs to his room, his entire body throbbing with anger. This was ridiculous. He always tried to keep a level head, to lose control would be an affront to his station and also leave him open to any number of unpleasant things.

The contrast from the previous night was so stark he'd have almost believed that they had been experienced by two different people. Instead of indulging himself with Sebastian, feeling the demon within him, lost in the throes of ecstasy, he found himself sinking into the wingback before the fire alone and irritated. He rested his elbow on the arm of the chair and put his chin in his palm.

Perhaps he shouldn't have lashed out at Sebastian as he had. But he still couldn't shake the feeling that the other was hiding something from him, and the various scenarios in which he could figure out the truth replayed through his mind. He supposed of course, that the obvious action would be to call the other to him and order him to spill whatever secret he was harboring. But he wanted to trust the other, because if he couldn't trust Sebastian (demonic tendencies aside of course) then he could he trust? There was no one else in his life he relied on so heavily. Conceivably he had put himself in a bad spot that way, but it was too late.

His eyes settled on the flames dancing in front of him. Watching them made him think of Sebastian, and he sighed inwardly. Everything had become so muddled the past few weeks. If only things could go back to how they had been before. He'd been spoiled with the rather uneventful span the last five years. The most serious things he had to deal with were humans, and Sebastian had easily taken care of most of them. Now everything was rushing forward at once.

Momentarily, he regretted banishing Sebastian from the nighttime activities. But he reasoned, if his suspicions were correct then Sebastian didn't even care to stay with him during the night. Of course it was just like a demon to seduce him into believing that perhaps their relationship was based on something more than just physical pleasure alone. Maybe he had allowed himself to be fooled. Ensnared within the net of that silver tongue that proved so useful in getting whatever he needed. It stung in a way that Ciel immediately squashed down; he was not going to allow himself to spare even a second toward getting upset about a position he had willingly put himself in.

His mind drifted back to when they'd first been having relations. Sebastian had pressed him so hard to admit his feelings after it. He'd hated how vulnerable it had made him feel, but he'd entertained the idea that perhaps Sebastian was asking because the butler on some level also felt the same. Sebastian had never been clear what his reasons were for the interrogation, but Ciel supposed it could just have been another one of the demon's games. After all, they hadn't touched on it in any noteworthy seriousness since.

 _No,_ he reasoned, sliding from the chair and crossing to the bed. _Sebastian should be punished for speaking out of turn. Additionally, if I am not indeed losing my mind, he should also be punished for deserting me last night. I'll make him wish he were in here with me._

Ciel enjoyed teasing his demon, but he didn't do it often without the other present. However, he reasoned, Sebastian was very in tuned to his every move and emotion, part of the reason he supposed the butler made such an excellent sexual partner. But Ciel was not opposed to pleasuring himself and that is exactly what he decided on doing, shedding his clothing like a snake and slithering onto the bed. He pulled a bottle of oil from the drawer in the night table, slicking himself and his fingers liberally with it before he dimmed the lights, leaving only a couple of candles burning.

Ciel curled a hand around himself, imagining it was Sebastian, letting a moan fall from his lips as he began to stroke, slowly at first and building speed. The demon may have be able to drive him wild, but Ciel knew that the butler was not immune to experiencing the same, primitive it may have been. He was not going to have his patience tested by a mere servant.

He knew that this was juvenile in some way, to hope to make the other frustrated at being denied a chance to satiate his erotic appetite, but he didn't care. The arts festival was in two days and he needed to prepare for that. Sebastian was right, as usual; he must see it through even if was painfully dull and uneventful. His fingers slipped lower, circling, pushing past the tight ring of muscle. He tipped his head back, only to feel a small tug of disappointment when the pressure of a familiar set of fangs didn't clamp down on his neck.

* * *

 **This one is a shorter one today, but Thursday's will be longer. I'm excited to see how the story is building and how you all are liking it so far. I keep coming up with ideas for new stories, and I tell myself "NO! You must focus on what you're already working on!" Which sometimes works. Tonight it didn't and I now have 8 pages of yet another SebaCiel, that will probably not get posted/finished anytime soon. Just really had to get some of the first chapter out though.**

 **LonelyStargzer: Elise is my favorite too. We'll get more of her in the next chapter. I know. Underneath all the darkness and suave butler aesthetic is a bit of a softy. (I mean he does like cats). I always want to give Ciel a hug too, even though I don't know that he'd appreciate that in cannon. Probably in some AUs though. Ugh these last few chapters in the manga have been *rough* but it's looking up sorta (in an out of the frying pan and into the fire sort of way if we are being honest).**

 **Dardar1: Yes indeed that is what he wants. But does Ciel want it? Currently all signs point to "No".**

 **ran: Oh trust me he would be jealous if he saw her. She and Sebastian have been friends for like...ages. Hundreds of years. Ciel's nightmare was rather unpleasant to be sure, but it was rather fun to write. Ciel is like always stressed. It's just a part of him. But he manages to keep his cool in most situations.**

 **promocat: Maybe we will get some more of it in the future. (probably not). But that's what fan fiction is for.**

 **Madison Angel Kaiba: I love her too. I really do. I wish she was canon. She'd be so gorgeous. But yes, she knows just what to say and do to get him to lose his cool. Will Ciel meet her? Perhaps, but not if Sebastian can help it. Of course, things don't always go according to plan.**


	9. Chapter 9

Sebastian turned a page in the book he was reading. He was quite glad that he could steal away a few moments to peruse the tome, even if it was because the Earl had rudely exited the dining room before dinner was completed. He'd not even been able to bring out the trifle for dessert, though he supposed if Ciel were going to behave like a child he could do without sweets.

The book he was perusing was actually not a book at all, but a journal, the first of a few volumes that Elise had given him before he'd left her home early that morning. The visit had proved to be much more fruitful than he had anticipated, once he revealed why he had come to see her in the first place.

Elise was quick to lend assistance but cautioned him that he should make sure he was absolutely serious about his intentions. Sebastian had wanted to take the words to heart, but honestly didn't see what could go wrong. It was clear that Ciel didn't wish to marry Elizabeth, and though the other wouldn't admit it, was desperate to find a way out of the union. Sebastian told himself that he was doing it for the Earl, but he knew that wasn't true. He was doing it first and foremost for his own selfish reasons.

Sebastian knew that there were several ways that one could become a demon, but Elise had successfully accomplished it in a way that few others had. She was the only one that Sebastian actually knew personally, which was why he had sought her advice. That and she was terribly efficient, having recorded every step of the process from the start of her contract with Henry through the actual transformation itself. She'd written it in a strange way; part diary and part research manual, but it was fascinating. He wondered if Elise had ever planned to have someone read it, but knew that the woman would have just done so for her own benefit.

She'd explained the method to him, but had said it would probably be better if he read about it first and then asked questions if he had any. But she insisted he start at the beginning because there was a lot more involved than just simply performing the procedure. Sebastian didn't see how, it appeared very straightforward and not unlike the contract he and Ciel had already formed, save for a part that gave Sebastian a bit of pause. But Elise had thrust the journals at him and told him to return any time he liked for a chat and to borrow more.

"You can't have too many at once," She'd said. "What if he sees them? I can't say I approve of this sneaking around, though. Does he even know that you want this?"

"No," Sebastian replied. He truthfully hadn't been entirely sure himself that he had wanted it until he had admitted it out loud. It was completely unchartered territory for him, wanting to be with another like that. None of his other contracts had stirred even the slightest desires for it. It truthfully made him a bit nauseated as a demon to think that this was where things were heading. And yet…

He flipped to the next page. This first volume was chronicling Elise and Henry's time together starting when they'd formed their contract. It appeared that human desires really did fall into several simple categories: power, lust, wealth, revenge. They were so easily predictable and yet still so fascinating in their tireless pursuits of these things that really meant little to nothing in the end. They would all end up the same, satisfying some demon's hunger until the next bit of prey wandered in. Well, almost all of them. Clearly, Henry's story had ended a bit differently.

The details of the man's history were a bit hazy. Henry Avon had actually grown up a very poor man; his parents had passed when he was young. Henry was an exceptionally smart businessman and though he specialized in silver, he also operated some less than savory businesses on the side. Of course, these led to interactions with many equally unsavory people, one of which took a fancy to Henry's wife and took her for his own when he felt Henry was not turning enough profit for him. Henry had tried to get her back but she'd been killed in the resulting scuffle. She'd been carrying their unborn child. It was then that Henry lost his mind.

There was talk of a witch who lived within the city who was said to be able to bring back those who had died. Henry sought her out initially wishing for this at first but over the journey he decided instead that he wanted retribution for her death and to crush all of his enemies businesses into dust, leaving himself to rise to the top. The witch turned out to be Elise, who at the time was masquerading under the name "Hecate", having been amused by the Shakespearian play, Macbeth published a few years before. She wasn't a witch obviously, but she _was_ able to grant wishes and thus satisfy her desire for souls. The good-looking man who stumbled into her shop intrigued her and she agreed to help him with his quest.

Sebastian remembered this shop as Elise set them up frequently when she didn't feel like roaming about pursuing souls. Humans were desperate and though most, especially at the time were afraid of magic, there were enough individuals so consumed by greed for material things that her belly was never empty for long.

"He was a rather gallant fellow," Elise had said once in the past. "I could tell even under all the wine and the madness."

The butler sighed. He'd been quick to dismiss Elise when she said things like this. It was unnatural for a demon to become romantically enchanted with anything as insignificant as a human. They existed to become food, something to pass the many boring years. Yet now here he was, devouring an account to help him accomplish something different to this ideal.

Elise made the contract and burned the symbol onto Henry and then—

Sebastian growled. This was ridiculous. He tried to focus on the page but other things distracted him. Though the Earl had left dinner in a rather unsophisticated way and been relatively silent (moping about his chambers if the butler had to guess), he appeared to have flipped and gotten over his anger entirely. Instead, he was now engaging in some very wanton activities and Sebastian with his demon sensitivities could hear everything.

Sebastian really thought Ciel was overdoing it. He couldn't remember the other moaning quite so much or saying such lewd things. Wherever had his master picked up such language? If he were younger, Sebastian would have had to take a more restrictive approach toward his reading materials. Maybe it would be good to do so anyway. The butler shifted on the bed, trying to ignore how much his own arousal was growing at the spectacle. Sometimes the Earl could be insatiable.

The butler rolled his eyes. Ciel would of course do something like this, seeking to irritate him for whatever it was he thought the other had done. In truth, Sebastian knew he shouldn't point out his master's shortcomings, whether they were something the other could remedy or not. However, he sensed that perhaps there was something else that had caused Ciel to snap in such a way though he couldn't imagine what that would be.

 _Maybe he really didn't sleep soundly last night,_ Sebastian thought, tossing the journal down in defeat. _Perhaps it was wrong to go out, to ignore the pull of the contract. But if all goes according to plan then the young master shall thank me later._

He told himself this, but knew that it probably wasn't something Ciel would be pleased with. As much as the Earl might wish to get out of his marriage to Elizabeth, Sebastian doubted very much that becoming a demon would be the solution he would choose. Sebastian decided it didn't matter; he was sure that the idea would grow on the other. After all, Sebastian had enjoyed being a creature of darkness his entire life and he'd never tired of it. It was rather enjoyable, unless of course you had to deal with a cheeky brat for a master. He'd thought his charge had outgrown such immature manipulation but…

Sebastian's eyes flashed. It appeared that the other had finished and the demon wished very much to go upstairs. But Ciel had forbidden him from doing so, from attending to him, leaving the butler to slither around the room in irritation. He crossed once more to the bed, glancing at the journals scattered across it, trying hard to ignore the sounds that were still going on upstairs. Ciel was now getting ready for the loudest bath he'd ever taken, the water thundering into the tub, everything being bumped and banged around with much more noise than needed.

Well, if that was how Ciel wanted to play it then that was fine. If he didn't want to see Sebastian that night, then the demon was going out. Elise hadn't said how soon he could visit again but she'd seemed intrigued by his plan and if anything he could perhaps get some more interesting insights than reading about her… _husband's_ woeful life prior to her involvement in it. Really demons did end up adding a certain spice to a human's mundane existence.

Ciel was splashing in the tub and Sebastian was quite certain he was going to start touching himself again. Maybe he would get the shampoo in his eyes. The more distance he put between them the less irritation he would feel. He was a bit surprised at the Earl's daring. Didn't he know that teasing a demon was worse than poking a sleeping bear? Rolling his eyes, Sebastian sighed heavily. That pluck was exactly what made Ciel so fascinating; he wasn't afraid of anything.

Sebastian concentrated his energies and soon found Elise's blue door materializing in front of him. No longer wishing to hide his presence from her right away, he didn't waste the time appearing at a point away from her house closer to the center of the city. He knocked and she answered.

"That was quick," She said. "So, how did he take it?"

"I didn't tell him," Sebastian said as he strode past her into the townhouse. "He was actually in a very foul mood tonight."

"Really?" Elise said. She leaned against the wall, her blue eyes glittering, arms crossed. "So…you thought the _appropriate_ response to this was to abandon him again? So cruel as ever."

"I didn't abandon him, he ordered me not to see him until morning," Sebastian said. He flashed the contract mark at her. "In case you've forgotten these things do not let either party escape. Leashed like the damn dog he named me after."

"I think it's romantic," Elise said. "Bound together until you consume their soul…or not."

Her eyes focused on something behind him, a smile gracing her lips. Sebastian turned to see Henry descending the stairs. He was finely dressed and he smiled at Elise, pulling her into a deep kiss before he turned to look at Sebastian. He frowned slightly, staring the other up and down. Sebastian suppressed the growl building within him.

"Elise, I am going to the club," He announced. "Gaumont wants to go over the plans for that movie studio again. I tell you that man had got some big ideas, it's sure to be prosperous."

He cast one last look at Sebastian, his own eyes glowing a bit, pupils slitting before they returned to normal once more and he took his hat from the stand and disappeared into the night.

"He's charming as ever I see," Sebastian said thickly as he followed Elise back into the sitting room.

Elise went over to the bar cart and poured herself some wine from a decanter. She offered some to Sebastian, who declined, wondering if this really were such a good idea after all. Demons didn't need to eat or drink human foods, but Elise had developed a taste for some of them over the years. She sat down, swirling the contents in the glass. Her eyes shifted toward Sebastian.

"In case you've forgotten, he liked you," Elise said. "I wanted you two to become friends, but of course your pride had to get in the way of that. Which, I am unsurprised to see has not declined much with time."

Sebastian reclined in the chair. "Are you just going to continue to insult me?"

"You're the one who sought my help," Elise sipped her wine. "Perhaps if you weren't so…conceited you'd be enjoying a romp in the sheets with your Earl instead of sitting here with me right now."

Sebastian growled. "Who says that's what I want right now?"

"We're demons," Elise countered. She drained the glass in one swallow. "It's something we always want. Plus the scent of arousal is all over you and you're not even attempting to hide it."

She went to go and get herself another glass of wine, shaking the crystal decanter invitingly. "Sure you don't want, some, Bassy? Might loosen you up."

"Don't _ever_ call me that again!" Sebastian hissed. "It's irksome enough I've got that damn reaper falling all over himself, I don't need to be reminded of it by you."

"Reaper?" She turned. "My goodness, what sort of trouble _have_ you gotten yourself into?"

"My master has a rather complicated past," Sebastian said. "The finer details of which I will skip over. What matters is what's going to happen now."

"Did you read the journals?" Elise said.

"I started the first," Sebastian replied. "Today was rather busy and I didn't have much chance until the Earl decided to cut dinner short. The detailed account of Henry's life prior to your contract is simply riveting."

"Why him?" Elise said, choosing to ignore Sebastian's sarcasm.

"Pardon?"

"Your Earl," She said. "What made you pick him?"

"When we made the contract?" Sebastian said. "I found him amusing. He had incredible rage for one so small. Such anger was simply delicious, and I suppose warranted, given all he'd endured in his short existence. The quest seemed interesting enough and I was bored. His soul is exquisite and has continued to marinate beautifully over the years."

"And when it became something more?"

Sebastian paused. He hadn't really been asked such a question before, though he was surprised to find that an answer rose in his mind quicker than he would have thought. He wasn't entirely sure that he wanted to reveal this to Elise. The business with the vampires was a touchy subject, something of a private affair between himself and the Earl. The female demon hummed, changing the subject.

"Has he seen your true form?" Elise asked. "Any of them?"

"No," Sebastian replied. "I have always thought it something that he shouldn't look upon unnecessarily. Perhaps he glimpsed it when he first summoned me, but that was so long ago, I don't know how much he remembers."

Elise hummed softly again, and Sebastian wondered what it mattered. The only reason demons usually showed their true form to anyone was because they were going to kill them. Since he had no plans as such to do anything of the sort to the Earl, there was no point in revealing something that might make the other change his mind. Ciel had once told him that he liked the way he was, but he wasn't sure that that same courtesy would be extended to how he looked. He knew that he was still handsome even by demon standards, but the form was still terrifying.

"What?" Sebastian asked. Elise was still staring at him thoughtfully. "Don't tell me _you_ did such a thing?"

"I—well—not on purpose," Elise said. "It was actually an accident that Henry saw me the first time. Even though you find him silly, he is actually a rather brilliant man. So smart, especially in terms of business, much like it sounds as though your Ciel is from what you said last time. But even the smartest of humans make mistakes and those can breed enemies, which of course is what led him to me in the first place. Some men came for him once. I could sense their intentions as they broke in. They were looking to kill Henry, possibly torture him for some information before doing so. I just couldn't let that happen."

"So you let your emotions get the best of you," Sebastian pointed out.

"In a way," Elise shrugged. "They made me so angry, and I wanted to hurt them. Besides, they weren't the sorts of people who should have been allowed to walk the earth any longer. I reverted and slashed them all to pieces. Their screams were music to my ears it was a most delicious kill. It wasn't until I'd finished that I saw Henry standing just inside the front door."

She fell silent for a moment and Sebastian could tell that she was recalling the memory. He was curious to know what happened next, since it obviously had worked out favorably for her. He waited patiently for her to resume. Elise was never a woman to be rushed if she didn't want to be.

"I thought for sure he was going to be disgusted," She continued. "There I was with bodies around me, covered in blood, my shadow eclipsing nearly all of the light in the room. I know he could clearly see that while I did retain some of my human characteristics, there were new additions as well, my ears much more vulpine and of course the tail. He started toward me ignoring all the carnage with the strangest expression on his face. Then he came over and just studied me for a few moments. ' _Fascinating_ ', he said. That was the first word out of his mouth."

The she-demon's eyes glittered. "I'd been especially fond of him for a bit at that point and he'd made use of my…feminine attributes. But that was probably the moment when I knew I loved him. It was quite a strange emotion to process, seeing as we can't really feel it with our own kind."

"So why turn him?" Sebastian asked. "If you would lose that."

"You don't," Elise replied. "I don't know exactly how to explain it, but if it was present before the change it doesn't disappear. However, the reason I bring up your true form is because if you are indeed interested in pursuing this human, he needs to actually be aware and accepting of all of you—not just the parts he likes."

Sebastian was going to say something further as this conversation was taking a direction he wasn't sure that he wanted it to go in. He was interested in pursuing the Earl, but he still didn't see why he had to bring his full demon self into it. He could stay exactly as he was for eternity if he chose. And he didn't love Ciel. Elise was a softer demon when it came to humans. Sebastian didn't entirely understand what was going on with him, but it wasn't love, demons as powerful as he couldn't love.

"You doubt me," Elise said, bringing him from his thoughts. "I only say it because you appear to want to be rushing into this as quickly as possible. The interaction I spoke about was two years after I entered Henry's service, but we didn't implement the change until a few years after that. Unless you're certain, if you let him get too close, and he ends up rejecting you for some reason, he could shatter your core. You know that, don't you?"

The demon's eyes flicked away. He did know this, but it was something he had previously ignored since he didn't ever think he would be in danger of it happening to him. Of course that had always been because he had always held humans in low regard, seeing them only as vessels for cooking souls or to satisfy any other lustful urges he might have. But then he had entered the contract with Ciel and things had shifted for them over time, subtly at first, and then building rapid speed. He still didn't see value in humans, they still amused him with their tirelessly mundane lives, but when it came to the Earl, he felt differently. There were humans, and then there was Ciel.

Demons didn't possess souls or hearts as humans did; their life force moved through something referred to as a demon's core. It was filled with darkness and the very depraved, impious thoughts and actions that gave them their nature. However, if a demon spent enough time around humans, particularly if they grew certain attachment to them, their core could soften and become more easily tamed. This worked out well for the humans, but not so for the demon. If the demon let itself become too subdued and the humans ended up causing it pain and suffering instead of the other way around, the core could shatter and the demon would die along with it.

Sebastian shifted. "I'm aware."

"Good," Elise said. "So read the journals and be smart about it. This is not something to be reckless about."

* * *

 **This is a longer one. Just making up my own demon lore. But I find the concept of the cores interesting. It was actually casually referenced before in TDB, though not explicitly. I _think_ people are still enjoying this story? If you are let me know.**

 **follow me on tumblr: nightmooncat**

 **Dardar1: Yes he does. But Ciel is terrible with feelings. Actually they both are. But they'll get there. This one's more emotional than the first part for sure.**


	10. Chapter 10

Ciel glanced around the large hall, wishing he could be anywhere but there. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate art; the manor was decorated with pieces that suggested otherwise, but he preferred to observe it within much quieter situations. As such the current venue couldn't be helped. He was there per his duty to the Queen, and because he genuinely hoped that he would get some sort of lead on the thief. Looking at the assortment that had been selected for that year's auction, he was pleased to note that it would be hard to resist, even for the most careful criminal.

His eyes scanned the room for Sebastian. The butler had arrived to attend to him that morning, on time and pretending as though the previous night hadn't even happened. Ciel had at least been expecting some sort of veiled comment regarding his solo evening activities but the demon had remained surprisingly indifferent to the matter. The day had passed too quickly and he'd soon found himself dressed in his finest at the evening's festivities.

Accepting a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, his gaze swept the perimeter once more. Sebastian had gone to see if he could gather any sort of information that would help them in the investigation. In truth, Ciel was a bit relieved to have the butler at a distance from him. This wasn't something he usually wanted; in fact it was almost always the opposite. But something had changed the last couple of days. He'd felt as though he were rising and falling repeatedly. Two days prior he was at the dinner with Elizabeth and spending the night having Sebastian pound into him. Then there was the horrible nightmare which he woken up from alone, and then the previous night…

He'd fought with Sebastian before but it had been a while and usually not over something so trivial. Though it was irritating and Ciel never appreciated having his shortcomings pointed out, the butler hadn't been wrong. There was no progress in the investigation or locating Marina. Even though he knew the contract required Sebastian to follow his orders without question he had hoped that the other wouldn't have given up being dismissed so easily. It was almost as though he hadn't cared if Ciel were mad at him, which he supposed was in line with the demon's true nature.

"Did you see anything interesting?" Ciel asked as Sebastian sidled up to him.

"Not outside the usual mortal amusements," Sebastian replied. "Everyone here that I have seen is a human. Disappointingly so, with perhaps _one_ exception…"

His voice trailed away and Ciel looked up to find the demon staring pointedly at him. Rolling his eyes, he took a long drink of bubbly amber liquid. "No."

It wasn't that he didn't want to indulge with Sebastian, he had been quite sure that the other would try and solicit _something_ from him after the previous night, but really he wasn't quite in the mood. Besides, if he were supposed to be on the lookout for a thief then he really couldn't accomplish that very well from within the confines of some hidden alcove. Those types of things would be best left until later, if at all. He was still a bit cross with the other for the various infractions over the past two days.

Elizabeth came over and looped her arm through his. She started chattering excitedly about the party and who was wearing what. It was the usual banter that she offered at any given celebration. Ciel listened politely, giving small noises of agreement or short generic responses as he continued to watch the room for any signs of ill activity. Elizabeth prattled on as they made their way around the hall, pausing every few minutes to look at a piece before moving on to the next one.

"So," Elizabeth said, as they stepped away from a pair of bronze statues of angels battling and started toward an oil painting of a priest. "I was thinking that it might be nice to get married next year in the spring."

Ciel struggled to keep his small smile from slipping. Of course there would be more wedding talk. It was probably not going to be exempt from any conversation until the actual event occurred. He reached up and gave a polite squeeze to her hand where it was wrapped around his arm. "That sounds lovely, any particular reason why?"

"Well, I had thought about doing so this winter," She said. "Perhaps somewhere around your birthday, but mother thought that it would be too cold. Most people don't get married then, even though I think it could be pretty. It was also mentioned that it might be a bit soon."

Ciel thought this was a rather absurd statement. December was still many months away; they had barely started April. Still, waiting a whole year to get married seemed both pleasant and unpleasant at the same time. On the one hand he wouldn't have to deal with it for another year and during that time could be free to live and indulge in what he chose. However, on the other hand, he would have the impeding marriage looming over him for twelve month, and that wasn't appealing in the least.

"I had also considered this summer," Elizabeth said. "Father has contacts that could make everything wonderful in a short amount of time, but mother said that was entirely too rushed. I guess I understand her want for things to be perfect; she does only have one daughter. Especially since Edward's gone, and grooms don't have as much to get ready for."

Ciel nodded. He remembered attending Edward's wedding, two years prior. It had been a rather gallant affair all things considered, but it had filled him with anxiety. The groom had come over as the festivities were winding down and let him know that marriage, while it was a man's duty as much as a woman's could be wonderful for the both of them. And he'd said in no uncertain terms that he would make Ciel very sorry if he didn't do right by Elizabeth.

He'd nodded and said he understood, because he wasn't blind to the delicate balances of noble society. Ciel was seventeen at the time and still a bit less involved than he now was with Sebastian. After the very passionate first couple of times when he was younger, relations between them were very few and far between due to his age and size. Then when he'd turned sixteen and experienced a bit of a growth spurt, things had taken a more mature turn and the Earl had been more than ready for it. Now he really couldn't imagine being with anyone else and he truthfully didn't want to.

With a shake of his head, he drew himself from his thoughts again. They'd moved on from the painting and were now three pieces down, standing before a sculpture of a dog. Ciel rather liked this piece, it reminded him of his family's pet from childhood. He made a mental note to place a bid for it when the auction started.

"I will probably set the date for sure in a couple of weeks," Elizabeth said. "I've already been looking over options for the invitations. We should probably do something with blue, don't you think?"

"Whatever you wish, my lady," Ciel said.

They turned the corner and began to stroll along the next row. Ciel was surprised by just how many pieces there were. He had been certain that a lot of people would be afraid to place their valuables in such an open space. Even though the Queen had promised extra security, the thief had proved exceptionally skilled. He still didn't understand if there were any connection between the assortments, and if the burglar was collecting them for any significant reason. There seemed to be no correlation between any of the pieces, which ranged from a painting of a mermaid to a bust of a king with an unpronounceable name from some distant land.

Earlier that morning after breakfast, he'd spread his notes across his desk and tried hard to link any of the artifacts or the persons who owned them together. He'd surfaced hours later for lunch with nothing. He'd come to the conclusion that there was no connection, the thief was simply stealing things that they liked or those that they thought would fetch a handsome price from a buyer. For some reason however, none of the lifted articles had surfaced for purchase, even on the black market.

"Oh wow, this one is certainly interesting," Elizabeth said as they came upon a rather large portrait.

Ciel glanced at it. It was a remarkable piece. The painting showed a woman in a red dress, her dark chestnut hair billowing around her face. There was something strange about her eyes. Like they were staring right into the observer's soul. She was sitting in an ornately decorated chair, the folds of her skirt sweeping elegantly across the floor. After a moment he realized that the objects littered about her feet was skulls, their sightless eye sockets boring into him.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Elizabeth said. "But she's also a bit scary."

"Indeed," Ciel said. "I wonder who she is."

"Maybe she's not real," Elizabeth said. "No one is that beautiful. Though whoever the painter is has quite a good imagination."

Ciel was inclined to disagree. There _were_ people who were that beautiful, but in his experience they were often not humans at all, rather other sorts of creatures who resembled them. Creatures like Marina Beaumont. Or Sebastian.

He glanced behind him, relieved to find the butler still hovering at a comfortable distance. Though he was still slightly annoyed with the other, it was a comfort to have the demon near, just in case anything happened. With a soft sigh, he took another look at the painting. He took a small step forward. Even though he found it creepy he was curious to see the signature, to figure out the artist who had painted it. But the scrawl was rough and scratchy; he couldn't make out any letters.

"Shall we move on, Lizzie?" Ciel asked. Elizabeth nodded and they continued down the line.

Ciel was rather exhausted by the time they made it through the hall. He couldn't remember half of the pieces they'd seen but he was grateful that the auction was going to be starting soon. Sebastian trailed behind the pair as Ciel made his way toward the hall with Elizabeth. She felt heavy on his arm, a weight that he was suddenly aware of. He told himself that how he felt wasn't her fault at all, and was rather ashamed with himself for wishing to move away from her.

The auction began within a few minutes after they'd arrived. Viscount Druitt had taken it upon himself to act as auctioneer. Annoyingly he still remained a picture of incredible beauty, and Ciel often wondered if there was something otherworldly about Aleistor. Sebastian had denied it on several occasions, but Ciel still found the man creepy. The ladies in the hall didn't seem to think so however, he could hear them tittering behind their hands as the man gesticulated flamboyantly from behind the podium.

Ciel bid on the dog statue and ended up winning it. He ran through places in the manor and the townhouse where he might put it, watching the pieces making their way across the stage. Each one was displayed briefly for a moment while people raised their paddles in the air and the numbers rose steadily, sometimes astonishingly quick over a particularly sought after article. A painting would quickly be replaced by a statue, then another painting, then a sculpture. The battling bronze angels. The mermaid in oils. The foreign bust.

The painting of the woman in the red dress was carried up next. The handlers set it carefully on the display easel. Ciel sensed everyone in the room was staring at it. The volume of the chatter dropped considerably as hundreds of curious eyes swept over the details. It was an exceptionally stunning piece, painted with a careful and practiced hand.

Ciel was sure that the Viscount had read off the name of the artist but he hadn't been listening. What he did hear was the bidding had already started and was climbing rapidly, the numbers soaring more quickly than any other artifact had yet that night. For some reason, he also found himself drawn to it. And he refused to have it elude him.

Ciel entered the bidding war, finding himself putting up insane amounts to overcome every opponent. The company had had a record-breaking year, so he wasn't concerned about the finances. He wasn't sure what exactly he liked about the painting but it seemed familiar in some way. It also appeared to be an immensely popular piece among the attendees and Ciel quite enjoyed taking things that others wanted. Besides, he had come to reason as he upped his bid again, that if it were that big a source of interest to those in high society, perhaps it catch the eye of the lower class as well.

 _Perhaps the thief Her Majesty wants brought to justice will find it too tempting to resist,_ Ciel thought. His lips set in a satisfied smirk as the gavel landed, signaling that he had come away victorious.

"Where do you plan on putting that?" Elizabeth asked as the next object was brought forth. "It's beautiful, but it's also kind of creepy."

"There was just something I liked about it," Ciel said. He wasn't going to reveal his true intentions of course. He wanted Elizabeth to remain naïve to his duties as the Queen's Guard Dog for just a bit longer. Another thing that probably would be impossible to hide once they were married. "If it bothers you I can get rid of it once we marry."

Elizabeth laughed. "Don't be silly. If you like it, we'll keep it."

The auction passed quickly and there was no sign of the thief. Ciel found this both a relief and an annoyance. While the delicate highbrow atmosphere of the evening hadn't been ruined, the culprit was still at large and several expensive pieces of art still had not been retrieved. And he had spent an unreasonable amount of money on a painting for no real purpose other than wishing to draw the burglar to him. And he supposed, he did actually like it, unsettling as it was.

"A rather interesting choice I must say, my lord," Sebastian said as they went to retrieve the pieces after the conclusion of the auction. Elizabeth had departed, promising to visit again soon. Ciel had sighed internally. "The painting, of course. That statue is exactly the sort of thing you would go for. I am truly quite surprised that in all this time you've not procured a mutt to join you around the house."

"One is enough," Ciel smirked, raising a challenging eyebrow at the demon. "Anyway, I am curious to know who it was that created this work. I wonder if the artist was in residence tonight."

"You're looking for the artist?" One of the men who were busily wrapping the painting in cloth for safe transport asked. Ciel nodded. The man gestured toward a slender male standing a few feet away with his back to them. "That'll be him right there."

He certainly didn't look much like a painter, Ciel thought as he strode over and the other turned to the side, smiling at a passing lady. The man more resembled someone who would spend his days doing…well doing not much of anything of substance if Ciel were to be quite honest. He looked handsome in the way the Viscount was, beautiful but one could tell that there was something slimy lurking under the surface. He was also dressed much more elegantly than a normal artist usually did unless they were frequently employed by those well off. However, he supposed that he should be the last one to judge someone by his or her appearance. How many times had that proved to be deceiving?

The lights in the room caught the man's hair, turning it into spun gold as he turned. His dark eyes flicked over at Ciel as the Earl came abreast of him. Ciel offered a quick incline of his head. "Earl Ciel Phantomhive. I just purchased a painting and was told you're the artist. It's rather unusual, and I wanted to make your acquaintance."

"Warren Turner," The man said offering a hand, which the other shook. "The pleasure is mine."

* * *

 **Much love to all my readers. Your comments make me so happy.**

 **follow me on tumblr: nightmooncat**

 **LonelyStargazer: yes, as I said before I have been experiencing the same. So frustrating. Haha Ciel is rather cheeky. But then again he always has been. I like writing him older though. Thank you, I have not either but I mean we know how I like to make Sebastian go through the wringer. I don't think he'll end up in as much pain as last time but who knows. Thank you so much for the comment!**

 **Ran: Yes, in a way. More will be revealed as the story goes along but they are essential to demon survival and actually pose no threat to them unless they start becoming too enraptured with a human (as Sebastian clearly is).**

 **A French girl: Thank you so much. Yes, I enjoy making them give each other a hard time. It's amusing to write. The concept of the cores is something i am looking forward to exposing more.**


	11. Chapter 11

"So, that's quite a painting," Ciel said. He glanced over at the piece, which was now covered in the cloth for travel. "I am curious about the inspiration. Is she someone you know?"

"You could say that," Warren replied. "Though I admit that painting her is the closest I have been able to get."

Ciel inclined his head. "That's unfortunate. I wish you better luck in the future."

Warren smiled. "I think she may come around soon."

Ciel hummed. He didn't want to discuss a stranger's love interest. There was something he didn't quite trust about this man and he supposed that perhaps whomever this woman was that she had probably picked up on it as well. Still he kept his pleasant expression, not wishing to give away anything to the other of what he truly thought of him.

"Phantomhive, did you say your name was?" Warren asked. "You own that toy company, right?"

"I do," Ciel replied.

"It's quite popular, isn't it?" Warren said. "You're rather young. You must have quite a mind for business to be so successful."

"I was much younger when I started it," Ciel said. He bristled slightly "I'm not surprised you've heard of it. The corporation seems to be growing larger every day."

He glanced to the side at Sebastian, silently asking the other if Warren Turner were what he were presenting as. Though Sebastian wasn't always able to pinpoint exactly what the source of concern was, he definitely could sense when someone was "off". With his demon sensitivities, Ciel would at least know if the man before him was simply another self-important bastard or something more sinister. The demon blinked, letting him know that the man was indeed human. Well, that made things easier he decided.

"It's been lovely chatting with you, but I really must be getting home," Ciel inclined his head. "Perhaps I'll see you around."

Warren smiled at him. It was a pleasant smile; Ciel assumed the other male probably attracted a lot of ladies. However, apparently not the one he most sought after. Ciel took comfort that fate had never befallen him; he'd managed to capture the object of his affections. He glanced at Sebastian, feeling the hollow in the pit of his stomach surfacing again.

They exited the party and Ciel was grateful to collapse into the carriage. The evening had been as he had predicted: pointless and exhausting. Already his eyes were starting to grow heavy. Sebastian entered after him, shutting the door behind them and Ciel pulled him down onto the seat next to him, his head dropping onto the other's shoulder. Even if he was still a bit mad at the demon, he wasn't going to pass up an opportunity at being able to rest his head against something more comfortable than the side of the carriage.

"So, my lord," Sebastian said. "Where do you think you'll hang that interesting portrait you procured?"

"No idea," Ciel sighed, keeping his eyes closed. "I'm not sure why I wanted it in the first place."

"Perhaps because everyone else did," Sebastian said. "You quite enjoy taking things from others even if you don't necessarily have a need or want for them. The painting may just be the latest addition to that list."

Ciel grunted. He supposed there was some truth in Sebastian's words. He still couldn't shake the feeling however that there was something familiar about the painting. But he also considered the second reason he'd bid on it.

"You're partly correct," He said. "I figured that if it were popular among the patrons then it might also draw the attention of the art thief. We'll store it in one of the guest rooms at the townhouse for now. I'll think of a more permanent place for it once we return to the manor."

"Any idea when that might be?" Sebastian asked.

"No," Ciel said. "I wish I did, I don't much fancy having to stick around here much longer. Given the state of things though, I don't think that I would feel right leaving."

Sebastian hummed. Ciel settled himself more comfortably against the butler's shoulder. He knew it wasn't that long of a ride back to the townhouse but he wanted to savor it.

"I apologize for snapping at you the other day," He said. Normally he wasn't one for apologizing, but he wanted to close the distance between them again. The nightmare with Marina had plagued his brain any time he let his guard down and he refused to let what the figment had said become true. Even if Sebastian didn't care for him, he did care for his soul. Ciel guessed that had to be enough.

"It's alright," Sebastian said. "I suppose I am sorry as well. I should not have presumed that you aren't doing your best in regards to current affairs."

Ciel knew that Sebastian had been right before. No matter how much the words had irritated him, he didn't have anything to show for the investigation. He wished that he did because he wanted to go back home, back to the manor. It was more reserved there, more private. People visited less frequently.

The conversation died off and Ciel allowed himself to slip into slumber. When the carriage came to a gentle halt he didn't notice. He barely felt it when Sebastian gathered him up in his arms to bring him inside, eyes slipping open just a fraction to see the dimly lit entranceway before they slid closed again. The need to protest bubbled in his throat and his mouth dropped open slightly, wanting to tell Sebastian to put him down, that he could walk.

 _I don't need to be carried anymore,_ Ciel thought as he felt the gentle bouncing when Sebastian ascended the stairs. _I'm going to be twenty this year. Twenty…fuck, I never thought I'd make it to fourteen…_

His protest rested on his tongue, unspoken, and he allowed the action, knowing that it didn't matter. Sebastian might point it out sometime, but he didn't sense it would be that night.

Ciel felt his clothing being removed in the darkness, each piece slipping from his body without too much jostling. The butler moved with practiced skill, and soon the Earl found himself dressed in his night clothing, the blankets being tucked in around him. He liked the security it offered, but felt something missing.

"Sebastian," He mumbled, knowing he didn't have to be loud or especially coherent. "Stay."

"Are you sure?" Sebastian asked. His voice sounded distant and Ciel was certain the butler was probably paused at the doorway.

The Earl made a small affirmative noise. His brows knit, slightly annoyed at having to explain himself. "Come here until morning…that's an order."

"As you wish."

Moments later he felt the blankets on the opposite side lift and Sebastian slid in next to him, pressing against his back. The demon's warmth enveloped him and Ciel snuggled against it. An arm looped around his waist, the touch gentle but slightly possessive. Exactly how the demon seemed to treat everything in regards to the Earl.

Ciel hoped that his sleep would not be disturbed by anything. At least he could take comfort that if it did, Sebastian would actually be there to deal with anything that might surface. He'd thought such ridiculousness had stopped, and didn't much fancy the other glimpsing his relapse back into being weakened by things that weren't real. The fabrication of Marina existed in the darkest corners of his mind. She was out in the world, prowling around somewhere, but not anywhere near him. He was certain Sebastian would have picked up her scent otherwise.

He felt Sebastian's lips press briefly against the back of his neck and shivered. Everything would be okay as long as Sebastian was there. If he wasn't, Ciel wasn't sure if he'd be strong enough to battle through his dreamscapes alone.

* * *

 **A/N: This chapter is almost painfully short, but Tuesday's is going to be longer, and Thursday's ho boy...that's all I have to say about that.** **Anyway, I was losing the motivation for this one last week to be honest, but I found it again and all your comments, kudos, etc. definitely helped fuel that. I've acquired some new readers and that is super exciting. Glad to have you here in my little corner of the fandom. I love you all.**

 **follow me on tumblr: nightmooncat (talk to me, ask me stuff about my stories, whatever)**

 **HraMunro: Hello there! Thank you so much, I try. I love this little series and hope everyone else will too. :D**

 **a french girl: Ugh Ciel and the marriage. It will be the death of me, but I do kind of enjoy writing parts about it. But they will get to do naughty things. Now that Ciel's like more *mature* (haha, physically anyway) they get up to that a lot. We will learn her identity. Ya, Sebastian is the house dog. Maybe Ciel would get another dog, in another life. Not in this story though.**


	12. Chapter 12

Sebastian really wished that Ciel had not ordered him to stay in the bed. Actually the other hadn't specified that he had to remain in the bed, but it was clear that he was not to leave the other's side until dawn broke. Sebastian supposed that this was fine on some level, but on another it made him slightly stir crazy. After the expanded freedom he'd experienced the past two nights, he wasn't sure that he wanted to go back to meandering through the house, keeping things running smoothly. Or spending hours between the sheets with the sleeping Earl.

It wasn't that Sebastian didn't find the latter activity enjoyable. He actually liked it very much, even if the action occurred without any prior relations. Though demons didn't need to sleep and only did so as a luxury or to promote healing from grievous wounds, he enjoyed being near Ciel when he did so. There was something about curling around the other, listening to the heartbeat that evened out so nicely when the other was sleeping.

 _He won't have one of those anymore if he's turned,_ Sebastian thought, focusing on the gentle pulsing he could feel beneath his hand.

Actually, he wasn't sure if that was true or not. He'd not asked Elise if Henry still possessed a heartbeat. Maybe it was mentioned in one of her journals, he was sure it probably was. He made a mental note to keep a lookout for it, and inquire the next time he saw her if he didn't find the answer. Though he very much wanted to see her again, he'd decided that he would wait until he had read through all the journals she'd given him before getting more. Which, he reckoned, he could have been doing at that moment.

Sebastian thought about the conversation with Elise the previous night. It had been a lot less lighthearted than the first, particularly toward the end. He could sense that she thought he was being careless, which was not something that Sebastian would have ever used to describe himself. Everything he did was a means to an end. Everything had purpose.

Except for the fact that in order for this to work, Ciel needed to be a willing participant. There were other, more crude ways to make the change occur, but that was not the way he wanted to do it. With a groan he pressed himself more tightly against the other. Morning would not come soon enough.

It did though. Soon the sun was streaming through the curtains and Sebastian could at last untangle himself from the bed. He was woefully behind on the morning duties, but he sensed that Ciel didn't care about such things. As long as he could provide a suitable breakfast, the Earl would be less concerned about any other matters.

Ciel seemed to be in a better mood than he had been which Sebastian was grateful for. There was nothing worse than dealing with the other when he was in less than favorable emotions. Breakfast was eaten at an especially leisurely pace, and then Ciel rose and announced he was going to work on some business in his study.

"I'll probably be there most of the morning," Ciel said as he ascended the stairs. They paused outside the study. "See that I am not disturbed unless it's absolutely necessary. I'm going to go over some company related documents and then perhaps look at the investigations. Not that there's anything new there. Bring me my tea later and something sweet of course."

Sebastian took note of his lord's request and bowed before seeing himself down the hall. Ciel disappeared into the room, shutting the door behind him. The butler went off in search of the other servants, finding them all performing their duties to a surprisingly satisfactory degree. This he found to be a relief since it meant that he could get done what he needed to and perhaps steal away a few moments to read some more of the journals.

It turned out; neither of them was going to get to their plans that day. As Sebastian passed by the telephone in the hallway it rang. Brow furrowed in interest, he started back, and wondering whom it was that could be calling. The hour was still rather early so the nature of the call must be important. He answered, surprised to hear Adeline's voice on the other end of the line.

The young woman hadn't phoned in ages, but there was urgency in her voice that Sebastian immediately picked up on.

"There's been another attack," Adeline said. "Undertaker thought—he thought that the Earl should know if anything happened again. I don't know if it's related to…to things, but doesn't hurt to be sure."

"Of course, thank you for the information, my lady," Sebastian said. "Is he currently in possession of the body?"

"No," Adeline said. "He's actually out at the moment. I had to go to the market to get some supplies. It happened not far from the shop though, it was a rather public affair."

Sebastian sighed. Ciel would not appreciate this in the least bit. Not only was his day going to be disturbed but he was going to have to deal with another grisly murder. He turned and started back in the direction of the study to deliver the bad news.

A blue eye regarded him with irritation after he'd been granted permission to enter. "What is it now?"

"My sincerest apologies, sir," Sebastian said. "Lady Adeline has just telephoned to say that there has been another assault within the city. Though she is uncertain whether it's in regards to the vampires, it appears that Undertaker has heeded your request that any such occurrence be brought to your attention."

He was going to say more, but Ciel had already tossed down the papers in his hands and was striding around the desk. With a swiftness Sebastian hardly witnessed, Ciel was making his way out of the room and down the hall. Indeed he was amused by the sudden burst of physical activity; he'd only seen the other move with such urgency when tempted with the promise of sweets, sex, or…well, indeed some sort of delicious case to solve.

The carriage bumped down the drive en route to the city. Ciel glanced over at him, a small frown playing on his lips.

"What's wrong?" Sebastian asked, though it he had to guess he already knew the answer.

"It's good to have a potential lead," Ciel said. "However, it doesn't make it any less concerning. You'll be able to tell, won't you? If she's nearby?"

"Of course, my lord," Sebastian said. "I am unfortunately very familiar with her scent."

They arrived much more quickly than expected, the horses panting and sweating profusely as the pair disembarked from the carriage and made their way into Undertaker's shop. The funeral director had still not yet returned, but Adeline received them warmly, though her lips pressed together in a worried frown every time she stopped speaking.

"I don't know all the details," Adeline said.

"It's fine," Ciel said. "Just tell us what you can."

She nodded. "Undertaker had to go out today. I think he was delivering a coffin to a church for burial. I went to the market to get some items; we are running dangerously low on a few staples. I ended up running into a rather irritating acquaintance of mine. Some people were talking about a body that had been found in a house not too far from here this morning."

Ciel hummed. Sebastian took the opportunity to excuse himself, figuring that he would spend some time evaluating the scene. If he spotted anything noteworthy he could always come back later with the Earl. He could already smell the corpse as he stepped outside, though he was sure that it would have been removed from the premises. The demon moved stealthily along the street, not wanting to draw too much attention to himself.

The house was rather small and nondescript. He entered it easily, it didn't seem anyone had thought to bother with locks now that the occupant had been murdered. He paused in the entranceway, taking in the scene. Oddly enough, nothing here appeared to have been disturbed. Based on what he knew of vampires, they had to be willingly invited into someone's home. That meant whoever had lived here had accepted Marina as a guest.

It intrigued the demon and he wondered more about the woman who had lived there. Of course, he reckoned, the vampire might have used a disguise, posed as someone seeking a meal or short rest before continuing on her way. There was no end to the things malevolent beings would do to get what they desired.

There was a dark stain on the floor in the kitchen and more blood splattered upon the walls. The scent of fear was strong in the room as well as the sweet caress of death. Sebastian couldn't help but savor it for a moment before the less pleasant odor of vampire assaulted his nostrils.

He turned slowly, almost expecting Marina to jump out at him from some shadowy corner. Her scent was heavy, but slightly stale: a mixture of blood and a thick perfume of mandarin and bergamot with undertones of amber and vanilla. On anyone else, Sebastian supposed it might be an intoxicating scent, but when it came to the vampire, it smelled like danger and not in a good way.

Sebastian continued to explore the house, finding little to nothing of value. It was evident that the woman who had lived there had resided in comfort but not extravagance. There was a small amount of food in the pantry, small but substantial possessions present throughout. The only area where anything was disturbed was in the kitchen where there was shattered bowl on the floor as well as a knife. Perhaps signs of a struggle.

One thing he did find interesting was in an upstairs room. It had served as the bedroom, evident from the modest frame and mattress set against one wall. However, before the window that looked out onto the back garden there was an easel and quite a lot of artist supplies. There was a box filled with different colored paints. A jar filled with an assortment of brushes was resting on the windowsill next to another container filled with cleaning fluid. The sharp smell made Sebastian's nose wrinkle.

What was odd however was that there seemed to be no evidence of work. There were a few blank canvases propped against the wall next to the bed, but there were no completed paintings. Perhaps Marina had stolen them, or the artist had sold all of them before her death. He wondered if anything this woman had created was present at the festival the previous night. It was certainly a very perplexing case indeed.

Sebastian descended the stairs, making sure the coast was clear before he went back out onto the street. He made his way back toward the funeral parlor, wondering exactly what he was going to tell Ciel. At least it seemed that they had been correct in assuming the art theft and the vampires were connected. The question still remained as to why.

People swirled around him on the next block, going about their daily activities. The street was rather crowded and Sebastian had to maneuver to avoid running into anyone. He was just about to turn the corner when he stopped short. A man collided with him, cursing a bit before skirting around the butler and continuing on down the street. Sebastian turned, searching for the source of the scent. He'd smelled it earlier, just minutes before, but now it was _fresh._

She was standing a bit further down on the other side of the street between two buildings. Though she wore a black cloak with a wide hood, her platinum hair was visible, glowing brightly against the dark fabric. The wind had picked up a bit, bringing the aroma of her perfume masks; hiding her true scent just as much as her human façade. Sebastian would recognize her anywhere.

Marina Beaumont.

The vampire stared at him. Sebastian was half surprised that she didn't rush straight for him; seek to finish the work her father had started. Then again, she wasn't stupid. Instead, she continued to hover there in the space between a residence and a café. Her smirk was visible even from a distance, her mouth shining with the color of blood.

Sebastian wasn't sure what he was supposed to do himself. Ciel would most likely order him to pursue her, and that was what Sebastian desired to most as well. However, he wasn't entirely sure what the Earl would wish when actually presented with the circumstances. Sebastian had the sneaking suspicion that the other would tell him to hold back, not wanting the butler to get in a bad spot again.

The demon inside him was terribly offended. He understood of course Ciel's caution, but at the same time he didn't need some human protecting him, even figuratively. He'd allowed his emotions to get the best of him during the battle with Silas, in part because Ciel was present. Now he wasn't, and Sebastian realized this with slight dread.

Ciel wasn't there but he'd left him alone in Undertaker's shop with Adeline. And Undertaker wasn't even there. Well, at least he hadn't been when the demon had left. Not that the odd man would be any sort of help in a fight against a supernatural being. What if Marina had been hoping for this all along? That he would leave him somewhere unattended? He kept his gaze trained on the vampire who continued to stare back at him, smirking, her gaze cool and unwavering.

She drew back her hood, revealing more of her brilliant hair and then turned to look pointedly in the direction of the funeral parlor.

Her lips moved and Sebastian's sensitive demon ears could hear her as loud and clear as though she had been standing right next to him.

"Better hurry."

Sebastian started off at as fast a pace he could without arousing suspicion. He rounded the next corner and came face to face with the vampire. Stopping short, he stared at her, eyes widening in surprise. If he'd possessed a heart, it would have been pounding out of his chest. As it was, all he could feel was intense dread trickling into his core, spreading throughout his entire body as he wondered if something terrible had befallen the Earl.

A moment later, he realized that this was ridiculous. If anything had happened to Ciel, he'd have known about it. The contract allowed him constant awareness in regards to his master's wellbeing. If Ciel were hurt or dead…no he couldn't be dead because then Sebastian himself would be in trouble; having violated one of his charge's most important orders.

Marina observed him carefully, her eyes glittering with unrestrained malice. Her gaze flicked toward his neck and Sebastian felt as though she were imagining the bite her father had placed there so many years before. Fortunately it had disappeared along with the other affects of the change after Ciel…

This was not the time to be thinking about that. Though it reminded him that he had an answer to Elise's question. Why he'd picked Ciel after their relationship became different. Not that he was prepared to tell her of it any time soon; even friends had some secrets.

"You poor stupid demon," Marina said. "I see he's still got you under his spell. Probably even worse now given how much time has passed. I should think you'd have tried to hurry along such a boring investment. Although…father did also see potential in Earl Phantomhive."

Sebastian was aware that there were still people around them. This presented a problem since he couldn't just slaughter her right then and there. Obviously she knew this as well and her grin widened as the realization dawned on him. To anyone else they would simply have looked like two people having a casual chat on a semi-busy avenue.

"Indeed," Sebastian said, frowning. "However, your father failed to claim him just as you will also fail."

"Maybe it's you who will fail," Marina countered. "My father almost got you. I have to admit I was surprised when I returned and found that you were still alive and well. But no matter, I enjoy a bit of a challenge."

"Perhaps I should ignore the formalities and kill you right now," Sebastian said.

"You could," Marina said. " Though I don't think that your master would be very appreciative of his butler acting in such a savage manner in public. Might put an even bigger spot on his reputation, hmm?"

She was right of course, but that didn't mean that Sebastian didn't consider it. Passersby continued to mill around them and the demon resisted the urge to grab her by the throat and crush her into the thick stonewall to their right. Even if he made a move, he knew her reflexes were as lightning quick as his own. Despite being at such close range, she wouldn't go down easily.

"Anyway," She purred. "It's been so lovely to see you, Sebastian, but we probably should part. Best not to keep your lover waiting."

Sebastian didn't know how to answer to that other than to deny it. He knew of course that Marina knew the truth but the response was automatic.

"Still in denial after all these years," Marina sighed, rolling her eyes dramatically. She threw her hood back over her head. "Now be a good dog and hurry back to your Earl. I expect our paths will cross again soon."

Then she was gone. Sebastian was left standing there unsure of what to do next. He returned to the funeral parlor, where it appeared that nothing had gone amiss in his absence. Ciel and Adeline were still in conversation but the topic had deviated from vampires and murder. Though he realized with slight amusement that the source of inquiry was perhaps even more terrifying to the Earl. Adeline was asking about the wedding.

"There you are," Ciel said. "What took you so long?"

"Apologies, my lord," Sebastian dipped his head. "I ran into a bit of a hindrance but it should prove no further worry for now."

He knew that it would be fine to speak about the encounter with Marina in front of Adeline, but there wasn't much to share. Outside of her physically being present, she'd offered little information about her plans. Instead she'd concentrated on toying with him, attempting to lash him with her indicative words. He'd always prided himself on being able to harm people through speech, or alternatively get them to do what he desired, so having it used on him was rather irksome.

Ciel's brows knit together but he didn't say any more. Though Sebastian expected a through inquest once they were within the confines of the carriage. The Earl rose and bid the lady a good day. He warned her to stay inside until Undertaker returned and to be careful whenever it was that she ventured outside again.

"So," Ciel said. "What did you learn at the house?"

The carriage was trundling off in the direction of the townhouse. Sebastian regarded the other carefully, deciding that there really was nothing to hide. There were bigger secrets he kept than a vampire hunting them that Ciel was already too aware of. He cleared his throat and began the account.

"Not much, I'm afraid, my lord," The demon said. "There was suggestion of a struggle and the residence definitely carried the stench of one Marina Beaumont. However, there wasn't any indication as to what exactly had been the nature of her relationship with the woman who lived there."

Ciel sighed. "So another dead end. Another senseless kill."

"Perhaps not," Sebastian said. The single blue eye flicked back to him. "There was evidence that perhaps the victim or someone else was a artist, painting supplies and the like. However, there were no completed works. Just blank canvas though it was clear that the mediums had been used. I think you were right about the connection between the theft and Marina."

"The question is which part," Ciel said. "Was this woman—the victim—was she working with Marina. Willingly or not? Neither? Is she or someone else stealing the artifacts to solely attract my attention or is there some other purpose? It's been confirmed by multiple witnesses that the one doing the actual theft is a male. Can vampires change their sex? Could it be Marina in disguise?"

"So many questions and so few answers," Sebastian bowed his head regrettably. "However, I can give you answer to one and that is that no, vampires do not deviate from what they are born as. So there is still a suspicious unidentified male at large."

Ciel groaned and pinched the space between his eyes. Sebastian understood his master's frustration. He was almost about to fall silent and allow the rest of the trip to pass by without another word when the Earl looked back up at him, a frown tugging at his lips.

"Earlier when you arrived at Undertaker's you said that you'd run into a hindrance," He said. "What did you mean by that?"

Sebastian sighed. He knew that he could omit things if he chose, but there was really no point in hiding the exchange. The vampire was the greatest current source of worry for Ciel so making him aware of it was smart. The other would be incredibly angry if he knew Sebastian had kept even a shred of evidence from him in regards to Marina. And Sebastian didn't feel like having to deal with that.

Sebastian told the other the occurrence in as much detail as possible. The demon noticed that Ciel visibly paled when he brought up that she'd said they were lovers, but the Earl didn't offer any further thoughts on it. When the story was completed he was silent for a few long moments. Sebastian wondered if he had perhaps read the situation wrong; maybe he should have disemboweled Marina on the street. Cut off her head for good measure of course.

Ciel stayed rather quiet for the remainder of the drive. He returned to his study when they reached the townhouse, ordering Sebastian to leave him until lunch. Sebastian threw together a simple but suitable meal and retired to his quarters to at long last continue on with his reading, hoping that the other servants would do their work without incident.

The next pages gave way to more interesting stories. Having completed the contract, Elise started her end of the bargain at once, seeking to rid Henry of his fiercest and often most vile competitors. True to her base nature Elise had spared no cost, penning one account after another of the utmost detail. Humans were often weak and stupid, hiding behind facades that would collapse in the smallest otherworldly wind.

Much like how Lady Walker had attempted to disguise how she truly felt about herself and her life though overstated decoration and extravagant clothing, many of the people had Elise had dealt with possessed nothing more than intimidation and an overstuffed sense of self-worth. She's disposed of them in a number of inventive ways and Sebastian commended her on her creativity.

Eventually he had to go and collect his master for lunch. Despite the earlier apprehension in regards to Marina's reappearance, it appeared that the younger male's appetite had not diminished any as he quickly polished off the meal the other had prepared.

"I want to go back to the manor," Ciel said when he'd finished. "I know that things are probably far from over, but I would feel more at ease there with our full resources at our disposal. Make preparations tonight after dinner and we'll leave early tomorrow."

"As you wish, my lord," Sebastian replied.

Part of him was glad to be going back to the main house as well. Though they were be further from London if there were any incidents, it would perhaps be better that way. Ciel would be more removed from the situation and therefore less likely to act irrationally. Sebastian could sense that there was still something off about the Earl, but he couldn't place it. Perhaps returning home would help him better uncover that issue as well.

Ciel at least seemed to take the latest murder as an indicator that things were going in the right direction. At least there was a small link between Marina and the art theft, even if the circumstances weren't ideal. He penned a letter for Sebastian to deliver to the palace that detailed what he'd concluded. Though he simply phrased it, as there was a connection between the murders and the art theft citing the evidence in the house Sebastian had investigated. He made no mention of Marina Beaumont or vampires, because of course that would be preposterous.

Later that evening, Sebastian packed the carriages with the help of the other servants. Ciel was tending to his nightly rituals on his own, but the demon of course planned to check on him one last time before he retired for the night. He wondered if Ciel would request his presence in the bed, or seek to indulge in some pleasurable activities. Perhaps he could seek to pay the other back for teasing him the other night, though he could admit he'd half deserved it.

In the end though neither of those things happened. Ciel simply requested that he keep the townhouse running smoothly and stay alert for any sort of suspicious activity. Having been expecting something else, Sebastian couldn't help but be a little annoyed. Of course when he didn't want to be sequestered in the Earl's bed he was ordered to remain there. Now that he wished the opposite he had to go and play guard demon.

He was certain that the Earl knew it too. As he bent to kiss the other, Ciel returned the gesture rather intensely, pressing his lips hard against Sebastian's, letting one hand thread through the demons hair while the other brushed along his chest. Then he'd flopped back down against the perfectly fluffed pillows, a small smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Goodnight then, Sebastian," The Earl said, and the other could hear the barely concealed self-satisfaction in his voice.

"Good night, young master," Sebastian replied. He slipped from the room, shutting the door behind him.

* * *

 **I know Marina is supposed to be the bad girl but I love her so much too. She's fun to write. A real evil, cunning lady. Anyway, Thursday has some pretty sweet stuff coming up, and next Tuesday...**

 **promocat: one day I'll write a fic where Sebastian gets a cat. One day.**

 **Dardar1: Same dude. Same. Demon or not he is one fine** **specimen.**

 **a french girl: You're the only one who has hazard a guess, but you are correct. But that realization won't dawn on anyone for a little while yet. Yes, I have to let them have nice moments once in a while.**

 **Madison Angel Kaiba: Thank you so much. I wish she would too, but not currently. Elizabeth will find love someday.**


	13. Chapter 13

A few more weeks passed. The weather warmed considerably heralding the coming summer. Ciel was glad; he hated the cold. He'd been hard pressed to find any more evidence of Marina within the city, though there had been more murders. He'd ended up sending Sebastian to investigate a few of them further since the demon could quickly travel between London and the manor and there really wasn't much evidence despite the telltale signs of vampire killings; drained blood, torn throats etc.

Both the Queen and the press had been quick to note the similarities between these and the murders that had taken place years before. Most of those had been contained to a stretch of forest not far from the manor with one notable exception. Rosalind Thomas, a rising starlet with a bright acting career ahead of her had been cut down just weeks before starring in a production of The Little Mermaid. The same play Silas himself had also played a leading role.

As such no one of any great importance had fallen victim yet, but Ciel suspected it was only a matter of time. Sebastian had reported that the victims had matched those previous and that he'd scented Marina on several occasions within the city but had never glimpsed her again after that first time.

An additional piece of information that had been uncovered whilst Sebastian was snooping around the Yard, also per the Earl's instruction, was that there had been a couple of missing person's reports. This had filled Ciel's insides with ice, as it appeared that Marina was at last going to follow in her father's footsteps. He couldn't be sure, but it did make the most sense. She might be in the beginning stages of rebuilding her coven.

As such it appeared that the art theft had stopped and that case was being put firmly on the back burner. Now that the art festival had also been completed a month and a half prior, with no further incidents, Ciel was content to let it go for the moment. Murders were a lot more important than stolen artifacts, no matter how much they were worth. He was certain that the owners of said artifacts didn't agree, in fact, was doubly sure since Lady Walker had written a letter and telephoned (twice) to ask when he and his _butler_ were coming to pay her a visit again.

Ciel groaned and regarded the piles of paper strewn along the desk. He was exhausted. Between the work on the investigations and the company, something of even more impending importance took up a lot of his free time.

The wedding.

Elizabeth had visited at least once a week for the last month, and she was always bringing with her all sorts of paraphernalia that he could have cared less about. It didn't matter to him what color the invitations were or what sort of flowers she should carry. He was quite sure that most brides didn't really include their grooms in the selection of anything regarding to such a day that was primarily about her. But in true Lizzie fashion she wanted everything to be beautiful and perfect, and Ciel was sure that it would be. Any other man would have been lucky to have her.

The only thing that had interested him in the least was the mention of the menu, however, he assured her that Sebastian could take care of that. The butler had stiffly agreed that it would be no trouble at all. He'd of course caught the sour flash in the other's eyes but pushed it down into the dark recesses of his mind. The matter couldn't be helped; neither of them wanted this marriage to come to fruition and yet as it stood there was no way getting around it. Ciel had a duty to his house and his betrothed. It was how things were.

Besides, though he hoped he was imagining it, he felt as though there was an unexplainable distance that had cropped up between himself and Sebastian. He wasn't entirely sure when it had occurred, though if he had to hazard a guess he'd place it at the day when Elizabeth had first come to the manor bearing her "exciting news". Though the demon was attentive to his every need and performed his duties as flawlessly as he ever had, Ciel sensed there was something different.

For one thing the other didn't initiate relations every so often as he once had. He waited most of the time for Ciel to make the first move now, perhaps uttering a suggestive comment on occasion, but the intention didn't seem to have any seriousness behind it. It was as though it didn't matter to him whether or not Ciel wanted to have sex. As though it had simply become a boring pastime that he would engage in if asked.

Though once they were in the thick of it that would disappear. Those feelings would ceased to exist in Ciel's mind, because the way that Sebastian acted when they were together, that wasn't something that the younger male felt was being feigned. Of course he understood that demons were masters of trickery and that Sebastian could very well be deluding him into a false sense of intimacy, but there was something in his gut that made him positive that this was not the case.

Whatever the reason, it didn't affect Sebastian's work. He still woke the Earl on time, prepared the meals, cleaned, made sure that the other servants didn't make too much of a mess, fixed things when they did, and so on. Everything was just as it had been before. Before even Ciel had started having relations with the butler. But certainly how things had been before the news of his marriage.

The thing that bothered him the most though was that Sebastian frequently disappeared. At first Ciel was sure that he was making it up, but as the weeks had worn on he was quite certain that he had been right all along. He knew the first time it happened the night of the engagement dinner, after he'd fallen asleep and awoken from that awful nightmare. At the time he'd ended up brushing it off because he'd been rather frazzled due to circumstances.

Then it started happening again, except this time while the Earl was awake. He'd sent Sebastian to London on several occasions to get the information regarding the victims and to see if the Yard were making any progress and "neglecting" to share the facts with him. And the butler had done those things, however the results that he brought back didn't always warrant the time that he spent away. There wasn't enough evidence to support being gone for so many hours.

Another thing was he'd seen Sebastian reading a lot, which he supposed wasn't that unusual. However, the demon didn't often partake in what he would dub "human pastimes" especially one that he didn't actually need. He knew that Sebastian was well versed in so many things, he was curious to know what sort of volume would hold the demon's interest, teach him something that he didn't already know.

He assumed that it must be for Sebastian's benefit because the only other time he'd seen Sebastian peruse a book was during his lessons as a youth and those had stopped a couple of years previous. Sebastian never offered to share any new information with him, so it was clear that the contents of the book had not been devoured for Ciel's knowledge. Additionally, though he hardly thought possible given the demon's speed, it seemed that the other was a painfully slow reader since it appeared to be the same book every time. Given its size, Ciel imagined he himself could have finished it in a few days. Perhaps Sebastian wasn't as finely skilled at everything as he'd claimed.

Once again he was faced with the obvious course of action, which was to call Sebastian to him and demand an explanation. What could possibly be so important that he would spend so much time away from the manor? Away from Ciel?

The Earl felt a flush spread across his body. How ridiculous he was being. This was not proper behavior befitting to a noble. Actually it wasn't proper behavior befitting a man of any age except for perhaps one very young. They didn't pine for someone like some blushing maiden. And they certainly didn't pine for their servant, no matter how handsome they might be. He swallowed and tried to steady his breathing.

What Sebastian did to him.

Ciel yawned, running a hand through his hair. It was going to be time for bed again soon and he was honestly looking forward to it. Even if his sleep had been punctuated by some more unpleasant dreams. He did his best to ignore them, knowing they weren't real. And Sebastian was a small comfort to him, even if the demon didn't show any deep affection.

The knock came at the door and he rose, granting permission to enter. Sebastian swept into the room and the Earl regarded him with interest. The butler was handsome, painfully so, and that effect was not lost on Ciel. He let his eyes roam the other's form, wondering if he'd be too tired to engage in some sort of activity prior to going to sleep.

"Is something the matter, my lord?" Sebastian asked.

Ciel shook his head. "No. No, everything's fine. It's been a long day."

"Indeed," Sebastian replied. "Well, your bath is drawn so enjoy it at your leisure."

Sebastian followed him to the bathroom and was about to close the door behind him when Ciel turned. "Stay."

The demon looked confused. "Yes?"

"Stay," Ciel repeated. "I wish to discuss some things."

Actually this was only half true. He simply didn't want to other to slip out of his sight again as happened so often lately. The relations had been spotty but fortunately still present otherwise Ciel really would have suspected something was wrong. He was certain there was more than just the aversion to his being married off, but didn't know what more there could be. Perhaps he'd make it a point to find out.

Once Ciel had stripped and settled in the bath he observed the butler carefully, wondering if he would be able to figure out what was going on. The other's features gave nothing away however, so with a sigh he reached for the soap and sponge and began to wash while Sebastian knelt on the floor beside the tub, his crimson eyes narrowed in interest.

"Sebastian," Ciel said. "I've ordered you never to lie to me, isn't that correct?"

"Yes, my lord," Sebastian said. His brows knit together, creasing his perfect forehead. "And I've honored that promise since you gave it."

"What if you _were_ going to lie to me, though?" Ciel asked. He lathered the sponge and ran it down his arm, coating the skin with suds. "What would make you do that?"

"I'm not sure I understand the question," Sebastian said.

"Well," Ciel went on. "You are bound to always tell me the truth. But of course, being a demon, you sometimes like to skew that truth in a way that helps you to avoid the thing I wanted you to answer in the first place. You'll respond to _something_ , and it'll be correct, but not the truth I'm seeking. Do you understand?"

"I believe so my lord," Sebastian said.

"So," Ciel pressed. "What would it be? What would be a thing that you'd give me a half-truth to?"

Sebastian was silent for a few moments. Then he shook his head, a soft smile gracing his lips. "The answer to that is probably things that I might worry would cause you undue concern to know about."

"Such as?" Ciel dunked the sponge in the tub and rinsed the lather from his body.

"Well," Sebastian said. "For instance, this business with your wedding. I am glad that Lady Elizabeth deems you fit to spend the rest of her life with you, to have a person care for you that much. It is something you probably did not ever foresee for yourself after a time."

This was true, but not what Ciel had been expecting at all. It didn't matter anyway, he didn't love Elizabeth and he knew it was horrible to enter into a loveless marriage with her. The alternative however was to disgrace the both of them by not going through with it. He'd not anticipated someone to care for him as she did, he didn't expect someone as pure and wonderful as Lizzie would be happy to form a union with someone such as he. The thing that made it worse though was how desperately that wasn't what he wanted.

He didn't want pure; that wasn't who he was anymore. That part of him had been stripped away years before. Cast into a sea of fire and terrible things. He wanted someone who liked him because he was broken and angry and vengeful. That didn't care how dark he became on the inside because they were the same.

Ciel raised his eyes from the bathwater, watching the soapy film swirl about on the surface. Sebastian was still observing him carefully. He cast a look around the bathroom; everything suddenly seemed too stark and bright for his taste. It was blinding even though he could see clearly.

"That's a bloody lie," Ciel tossed down the sponge. It smacked the surface of the water with an ugly splash and he lurched himself half out of the tub to grip Sebastian's tie, yanking him forward. The air nipped at his wet skin but he ignored it, keeping his blazing eyes trained on Sebastian. "You're not happy about that at all, you _hate_ it. Don't lie."

His command was low, hissed in a way that made it clear he meant business. Sebastian sighed heavily.

"No, it's not a lie."

Ciel ground his teeth. "I order you to tell me the truth about that!"

He was shouting now, had the butler's tie twisted around his fist. Their faces were mere inches apart. Ciel was breathing heavily, nostrils flaring as he struggled to keep calm. How dare Sebastian sit there and tell him he was happy that Elizabeth wanted to marry him? The audacity.

"It _is_ the truth," Sebastian frowned. "I am glad that Lady Elizabeth cares for you as much. However, I cannot pretend that I would much prefer it were me."

Ciel felt a bit as though the wind had been knocked out of him. He didn't know how to respond to that. He continued to hold onto Sebastian's tie, fixated on the crimson eyes that were boring into him, unblinking. Well, that was the answer he'd wanted. Wasn't it? Hadn't he wanted to know?

Maybe he hadn't really after all.

The Earl pressed his lips against Sebastian's. His touch was hungry, feral. Sebastian's mouth opened for him and he slipped his tongue inside, curling it against the other's own. He always was a bit fascinated by the demon's tongue. It moved in ways that no human's ever would; was able to perform feats regarding pleasure Ciel knew he'd never experience at the hand of any one else.

Ciel lunged over the side of the tub, slipping across the porcelain lip like a seal and landing on the floor with just as wet a smack. Sebastian fell back with him onto the tiles. The younger male could feel Sebastian's clothing soaking rapidly beneath his body; feel the other's arousal pressing hard against his thigh.

He worked Sebastian's trousers open, quickly tugging them down the demon's hips along with his drawers, a satisfied grunt falling from his mouth as the other's erection sprang free.

Hands still slick from the bathwater, he stroked at the turgid flesh, spreading the precum over the head. Sebastian groaned sitting up to capture Ciel's lips in a heated kiss. He tugged at the other's hair, holding him in place while he nipped and sucked at the Earl's lip, seeking to make it swell.

Ciel made a slightly choked sound as Sebastian guided him onto the floor, limbs slipping a bit on the damp tiles as he positioned himself on his hands and knees. This was a little unorthodox; he couldn't remember ever having done it in the bathroom before. At least not like this on the floor, like an animal.

Sebastian slipped in easily. There was no excessive prepping; Ciel didn't really need it as much anymore, he just liked the feeling sometimes. Sebastian's fingers were just as skilled as his cock, could bring him to orgasm effortlessly. One hell of a butler indeed.

Ciel focused on the sensation of Sebastian within him. It was filling. Familiar. He pushed back against the slow thrusting, wishing that Sebastian would go a little faster. This time he appeared to be seeking to tease the other. It was delicious but Ciel wanted more friction.

"Sebastian—Sebas—ah!" He gasped out as the other angled to hit his prostate. Whatever he had been wanting so say flew out of his mind and he instead concentrated on trying to do his best not to collapse as the demon began an assault on his most sensitive place.

Sebastian's arms looped around his waist, fingers trailing down to stroke his own throbbing length. Ciel moaned at the feeling of the other's touch, craving it more than anything. Sebastian stilled within him but his hand kept pumping. Ciel lowered his head, sinking down on his elbows, pushing his ass up further, and wordlessly begging the other to start again.

The demon let go of Ciel's cock, and the younger male felt a whimper escape his lips. He moved to touch himself but Sebastian grabbed his wrists, keeping his hands pinned to the floor. He began to roll his hips again, angling them to brush against Ciel's prostate with every push.

They slipped into the usual steady rhythm. Ciel pushed his bottom back meeting Sebastian thrust for thrust, grinding himself on the other's thick length. He wondered why he'd even bothered taking a bath when it was clear that he was just going to need another one. At least, he supposed, they hadn't soiled the sheets in the bed.

Ciel panted, closing his eyes against the brilliant glare the bathroom offered. In his heightened aroused state it seemed too bright, too surreal. There were puddles of water all over the floor from where he'd splashed and Sebastian's damp clothing pressed against his back as the demon draped himself over Ciel. The other's slender fingers still held his wrists hostage, his neglected cock aching between his thighs. But he'd rather have died than try to gain any sort of relief from rubbing on the tiles, smooth as they were.

Sebastian pressed a kiss to his neck, fangs teasing at the flesh there. He bit Ciel, gently, but hard enough that it would leave a mark. Whatever, he was used to it, and he wore them like badges of honor beneath his fine noble garments. Signs that _he_ was desired by a creature that was the very essence of the word.

Ciel felt Sebastian release within him, listening to the demon hiss as he rode out his orgasm, slipping in and out of Ciel erratically. He bit Ciel again, this time along the shoulder blade and then peppered kisses down the other's back as he slipped out.

The Earl found himself flipped onto his back, his legs hooking over Sebastian's shoulders as the demon lowered his head between Ciel's thighs. He felt the demon's tongue lave across his hole as one black-nailed hand coiled around his cock. It was too much, he felt too much, biting his lip and cursing as Sebastian stroked his tongue over the puckered flesh.

"Seb—Sebastian!" He groaned, painting his stomach with his seed. Sebastian drew back when he'd finished, and Ciel's slender legs dropped to the ground.

He lay there, squinting at the ceiling through his lashes, feeling that the room had become even brighter. His limbs felt as gelatinous as the preserves he spread his scones with in the morning. But every nerve was on fire and this hypersensitivity was further proven when Sebastian leaned forward and brushed his hair from his forehead. Ciel whined at the touch, feeling his heart thrumming throughout his entire body.

"Are you alright, my lord?" Sebastian asked, as though the last twenty minutes hadn't happened. The younger male shifted his gaze to glance at the demon who was straightening his clothing.

"Mm, fine," Ciel said. His breathing had slowed a touch and he felt he could sit up, wincing at the stickiness covering both sides of his body. "I'm going to have to take another bath."

"Indeed," Sebastian chuckled. "Well, the water has grown lukewarm at best. Allow me draw you another."

Ciel waited while it was done, slipping into the warm embrace of the water when it was. He washed quickly and rose from the tub, accepting the towel Sebastian offered him. As he padded to his room he couldn't help but think he'd only gotten half the answers he'd been searching for. However, he decided against pressing further for the moment. There would always be tomorrow.

The Earl crawled into bed, his body aching but feeling curiously light. Perhaps he'd simply been experiencing some pent up energies. Now that he'd set them free he was more at peace. Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that before when he'd questioned Sebastian, the other had admitted to being happy that Ciel had Lizzie to care for him but that he wished more to fulfill the role himself.

That was new. Sebastian never confessed to anything like that before. Ciel truthfully wasn't sure what to think, it seemed a little out of character for his butler. Demons didn't feel anything except the darkest and most depraved of emotions. They could experience happiness he was sure, but only because in connection to those dark, depraved things. They couldn't actually care properly for another, for a human. They couldn't love.

He supposed in a way that this might make sense of the other's actions though. Maybe he thought if he distanced himself then things would be less complicated. Ciel had probably made it worse by encouraging him to take him in the bathroom earlier but he couldn't help it. He wanted Sebastian so much it hurt. Still, perhaps it would be better not to get further involved. He was so uncertain.

Ciel drew the covers around himself, snuggling down onto the mattress. Sebastian came over and pressed a kiss to Ciel's lips. He asked if Ciel wanted him to join him that night, polite and customary as ever. Ciel had been declining more often than usual lately, discreetly using it to reprimand the other for taking too long on the tasks or disappearing during the night. Unfortunately he didn't think it was working and probably had the opposite effect.

Still perhaps that night would be different. He agreed, trying not to seem too eager when Sebastian slipped in with him. The butler had shed his damp clothing and his naked form pressed against Ciel's back, strong and unwavering. An arm encircled his waist and he closed his eyes.

Later, something startled him awake. He wasn't entirely sure what but was confident it hadn't been a nightmare. Still, he became acutely aware within seconds of waking that Sebastian's arms were no longer around him. In fact the bed was empty, sheets cold to the touch. Sebastian possessed incredible body heat that lasted long after he'd exited. He must've been gone for a while.

Ciel lit the candle on the night table and went over to the fireplace, holding it aloft to check the time. It was just past three. He supposed it wasn't unusual for the butler to perhaps have had some other pressing business to attend to. Maybe one of the other servants had also been up late and caused a bit of trouble. Or he'd suddenly remembered some urgent task he'd left unfinished…

No. Sebastian never forgot anything. Whatever was going on, his demon was definitely keeping something from him. And this time he vowed to find out what that might be.

* * *

 **So, this chapter is quite something. It's gonna start getting a bit more intense next week. I'm excited for it. I love when Ciel gets a lil angry.**

 **promocat: they both love to tease each other. Always. It makes it amusing.**

 **Dardar1: he probably should, but where would be the fun in that. Tuesday... oh man... just y'all get ready.**


	14. Chapter 14

Elise stacked the journals Sebastian had returned to her back on their shelf in the townhouse library. She slid the last one into place and then glanced at the volumes still to be read. There was definitely a difference in amount between those and the sizable amount of tomes Sebastian had already finished.

"You've been getting through those rather quick," She commented. "Now you've finally reached the part that you're most interested in."

She hummed and plucked the next thin leather bound book off the shelf and held it out to him. Sebastian took it and tucked it within his tailcoat. Of course he was making steady progress. This was the volume he'd actually cared about. But of course Elise was stubborn and insisted he start at the beginning. He still couldn't fathom why. The last few volumes had just been about her and Henry over the years as he quickly rose through the ranks en route to being a very successful businessman.

"Finally," Sebastian said. "Though I must say Henry allowed you to have a rather memorable time whilst you were contracted to him. Human greed truly knows no bounds sometimes. The account about the Belgian gent who was stealing product—the bit with the corkscrew—I'd forgotten how wicked you could be at times."

Elise shrugged. "I was bound to make Henry successful and a thief wouldn't help him do that. Besides it was rather fun hearing such a powerful man scream. Wasn't so powerful after he lost his eyes…or his tongue."

Sebastian chuckled darkly. Being with the she-demon had become a welcome distraction to the frequent stressors he endured while at the manor. Normally he only had to deal with minor annoyances, the hapless servants causing trouble, Ciel's usual attitude, and other such items. However, now he was forced to deal with things that were rapidly becoming much more than just irksome.

"So," Elise said. She walked over to the desk and picked up her glass of wine. Sebastian swore all of her blood must have turned to pinot noir over the years; she drank so much of it. Taking a sip she eyed him over the rim of the glass. "You seem a little odd tonight."

"What makes you say that?" Sebastian said. He hadn't thought he'd been acting any differently than he normally did.

It wasn't as though he had dropped by unexpectedly this was a planned meeting. Though he had come around a bit later than he'd originally thought. This was mostly because of what had happened back at the manor with the Earl.

Sebastian hadn't been expecting anything that had happened that night. Relations had become very sporadic especially within the last few of weeks. He'd figured it was due to all the work that Ciel had, both the company and figuring out what to do about Marina. Then there were all of those damn visits from Elizabeth. Sebastian hated those most of all.

He'd never disliked Elizabeth. She was a little loud and had loved things that were too pink and frilly and… _cute_ when she was younger, but she'd always been very pleasant albeit headstrong. None of these qualities had seemed to diminish as she had gotten older but even so, the demon had no ill will toward her. Until that one day in mid-March when she'd come to the manor and changed everything.

Well, it wouldn't matter soon. That was the purpose of his visits with Elise. To take care of this problem. Only the other demon wasn't making it easier on him.

She cleared her throat bringing him back to the present. "Sebastian?"

He glanced at her. "Yes, everything is fine."

"You're a horrible liar when you don't have to be," Elise said. "Tell me how _is_ it that you've been escaping this truth-telling clause in your contract when you have so many things here that he could order you to reveal?"

"It's quite simple really," Sebastian said. "He can't ask about what he doesn't know. And I _can_ lie to him if he doesn't ask the right questions."

"So he's just completely oblivious to what's going on?" Elise asked.

"As of yet it appears so," Sebastian said. "I mean he might suspect something but he hasn't brought it up. And until he does I don't have obligation to say anything."

"Why don't you just tell him?" Elise said. "Believe me it's a lot easier than trying to hide it."

Sebastian huffed. He wasn't going to tell Ciel anything about how he felt any time soon. Truthfully he still wasn't sure how he was feeling, but he'd hinted at it that night during the bath. That he… _cared_ for Ciel. Not in the way that a servant would but something else…

Ciel had been surprised, he could tell. He wasn't entirely sure how the other had felt about it though. Because he'd come to realize that even over the years whenever things got too intimate for Ciel's liking he'd react in very strange ways. Sometimes he'd get angry or embarrassed, but often times he would seek to override the emotional with a more physical approach.

It had happened on the night of the engagement dinner and earlier that night too. Sebastian supposed that he could decline but Ciel would probably just order him to do it anyway. Besides it wasn't as though he didn't want to indulge. Even though he'd had countless partners over centuries being with the Earl stirred things within him that he'd never experienced before. And some of those things only happened when they were having relations.

"Did you and Ciel have another fight?" Elise asked. He could hear the disapproval in her voice.

"Not exactly," Sebastian said.

"What, then?" Elise prodded. She went over to the French doors that led to the second floor balcony and opened them. A late spring breeze blew into the room. Her hair settled around her face as she turned toward him.

"My master's family serves England's Queen under the title of Guard Dog," Sebastian said. "There's a lot that goes into the position from what I've gathered but the primary function is to discreetly deal with any sort of issues that arise from those who lead less savory lifestyles."

"So," Elise said. "He basically puts a stop to anything remotely fun."

"I've never quite thought about it that way, but yes," Sebastian said. "I suppose that is a fair assessment. Humans have significantly different ideas on what is considered fun."

"I'm aware." Elise fell silent waiting for him to continue.

"A few years ago we dealt with a case regarding some missing persons," Sebastian said. "Turns out the culprits were a small group of vampires."

"You don't say?" Elise gave a throaty laugh. "I've not laid eyes on one of those bloodsuckers in…well at least forty years."

Sebastian didn't know what had possessed him to start telling her this story. He'd not planned to do so for a while, but supposed that in light of the recent events he might as well. Briefly he explained about Silas and his family, Adeline, and the play. After a moment's deliberation he skipped over the part about Silas biting him and everything that had followed after. _That_ he would save for another time.

"Regretfully one survived and she's now bent on avenging her family," Sebastian said. "I thought she'd changed her mind, it's been over five years now. But she surfaced a couple months ago and it seems we aren't rid of her yet."

"I see," Elise said. "So this obviously bothers your Earl."

Sebastian nodded. "Very much so. I fear it may be affecting him more than he lets on. He's always been a very stubborn thing, never giving up or letting anyone get the better of him. He treats everything like a game and he's incredibly skilled at those. Of course, the rules change when your opponent isn't human."

Elise was silent for a few moments. "Is she powerful?"

"Though it pains me to admit it, yes," Sebastian said. "I only dealt with her once before and she was a force then. I can only imagine how she might be now."

The she-demon crossed her arms over her chest as though she had caught a sudden chill. This was of course unlikely since demons didn't feel heat or cold. They simply existed. Her eyes flicked over at him.

"Why won't you tell Ciel what you want?"

Sebastian was a bit taken aback. They'd been discussing Marina, not his relationship with Ciel. And this was certainly not the question he would have chosen to start back into the topic with. He went to go stand next to her.

The balcony looked down onto the garden at the back of the townhouse. There were matching ones on either side. Sebastian was struck by how mundane it all seemed; he'd never realized before how _adjusted_ Elise and Henry had become to living amongst humans. Of course they could travel to where demons came from, they would simply have to wait until someone granted them passage over again. Which given how humans were, wouldn't take long at all.

"Because I am unsure he feels the same," Sebastian admitted. "He's claimed to be fond of me, but I do not know to what extent. He is not very forthcoming in his emotions at all."

"I can't imagine how unfamiliar that must be for you," Elise said, rolling her eyes. She offered a soft smile. "Seriously though, after all this time you have no idea how he feels?"

Sebastian didn't quite know what to say. He thought back to when they'd first had relations, when they'd had the first serious (and really _only_ ) talk regarding their feelings. And Ciel had admitted to giving his blood because he didn't want Sebastian to die. He'd given it even though he knew there was a possibility he'd die instead. And that was something Sebastian had never had, someone willing to die for him, even someone as weak as a human. Perhaps that Ciel _was_ human made it stand out even more.

"I've an idea, but I don't know if it extends to this," Sebastian said.

"To making him like us?" Elise asked. "Like Henry?"

"Exactly."

"Well, it's best brought up sooner than later," Elise said. She stepped closer to him. "In the times you've visited I can see just how deeply rooted you've gotten yourself with him. You can't get much further without knowing or it's going to hurt."

Her fingers brushed across his chest and Sebastian stiffened at what it implied. His core, hidden far beneath the surface, protected by his demon strength but so fragile in the hands of a human. There was no controlling it though, once it began to soften. He'd be even more at the mercy of Ciel if that happened. Fortunately it hadn't yet.

"Does it hurt?" Sebastian asked.

"When it first starts to soften, yes, a bit," Elise said. "You'll know it's happened. But it passes quickly and then…well, after that it's actually rather pleasant. I meant it would hurt worse if he causes you pain after that point, if he remains human."

Sebastian swallowed. Pain was not something he was opposed to, but the core was a demon's most sensitive and precious part. Without it they would cease to exist. To think that something as small and insignificant as a human could bring about such destruction…

"Don't look so worried," Elise said. "That's only in danger of happening if the human doesn't return the demon's affections. Once they are turned, they are the same as us. Equals. Really, we went over this that very first night, didn't you pay attention?"

"I did, but it was a lot of information," Sebastian said. "And you skirted over a lot of it because you swore I needed to read your journals. Now I'm finally getting to this part."

"Yes, but don't you see?" Elise asked. "The events leading up to that time made me sure I could make the right choice regarding Henry. He could've ended up being just like every other contract, like every other soul. And if that was the case he'd have been devoured and we would not be having this conversation right now. As it stands, Henry grew to love me as I fell for him and so by the time I suggested the transformation, he agreed."

Sebastian never thought demons capable of loving anything, except the most malevolent things in the universe. Certainly never extending that to humans. Those creatures that were born and died so quickly, built and destroyed and rebuilt again. They were but a blink in a demon's eye. A second passing by in their eternal lives. How could they inspire such a change?

"I don't love him," Sebastian said.

"Keep telling yourself that," Elise laughed softly. "I know that it's unfamiliar and it goes against everything you know. But what other reason would you have to keep him with you always?"

Sebastian supposed that this was true. But his mind screamed at him to retreat. To give her back her book and leave and not come back. Forget what he'd learned. Continue living with Ciel until the Earl was married off or the revenge reached completion. Then he could eat Ciel's soul and be done with it. The other would reside somewhere within him always. Right? Only he knew that it wasn't the same.

"I should probably return to the manor," Sebastian said. "I don't want him to know that I'm gone."

"You're going to be have to be honest with him soon," Elise said. "Trust me Sebastian. Wouldn't you like to happy?"

"Who says I'm not happy?" Sebastian asked.

"It's different," Elise said. "You're my oldest friend. I want that for you. So please, be careful."

"I will visit again soon," Sebastian said. "Perhaps I'll have more progress to tell you, though it seems impossible for anything to happen while he remains worrying about everything. He tries to paint a stoic figure but I know it's wearing on him."

"Sounds familiar," Elise said. She walked him to the door of the library. "You can see yourself out, I'm going to bed. Henry may be down in the sitting room, don't pick any fights with him on your way out."

Sebastian grunted at her and made his way down the stairs and out the front door. On the sidewalk outside he paused. This had been a very interesting night for sure in both of his worlds. He supposed that he should take Elise's words to heart, but the thought was simply terrifying and not something he wanted to go messing with just yet. He melted away with the vision of England in his mind.

When he entered the manor, he debated whether he should crawl back into the bed with Ciel or get a start on the breakfast preparations. In light of everything, he supposed that regardless of what he chose that he should at least check in on the Earl. Make sure that he was sleeping soundly. Perhaps he just wanted an excuse to look at him, peaceful in slumber before he awoke for the day and caused Sebastian more disquiet.

As he came out on the upper landing he felt that something was off. He couldn't sense any danger, but there was definitely a bit of unease prickling the air. Moving forward quickly, he strode down the hall toward his master's chambers, noting that the feeling increased the closer he got. Pausing outside the door, he took a moment to compose himself. He was being unreasonable; Elise's talk had messed with his mind. Resolved, he pushed open the door.

The moment that he did, he was greeted with quite a sight. Light from the hallway poured into the room and seated in front the door was Ciel. He'd moved one of the chairs from before the fire to it's new home and was perched lazily upon it, legs crossed, resting his chin on the back of his hand. A single blue eye was eyeing him thoughtfully, the other obscured beneath the eye patch.

Sebastian stared at him, unsure of what to say. It was clear that the Earl had been sitting in the dark. How long he'd been like that was a mystery to Sebastian but he assumed it probably had been quite a while. He couldn't remember exactly what time he had left for Elise's, but the Earl had gone to bed a bit earlier than normal, even counting their romp in the bathroom.

He knew the other had been waiting for him, and he didn't have to hazard a guess as to why. It unnerved him however that Ciel was being so calm. He didn't like the way the Earl was looking at him. He'd seen that expression before. It was the one he'd give people before he ordered Sebastian to end them. Only he couldn't order Sebastian to kill himself. The demon supposed he could of course, but it wouldn't work.

 _Well…at least not yet,_ He thought with a touch of dread, remembering everything he knew about cores.

Sebastian supposed that perhaps he should just carry on as though this weren't strange at all. He moved forward. "My lord, it's very late, you should return to bed."

"Yes it late," Ciel said. His voice was eerily calm as well. "Doesn't seem to make a difference though."

"Come now, young master," Sebastian said. Perhaps he could shame the other into leaving well enough alone.

Ciel slapped him with full force. Sebastian had been expecting it honestly, and could probably have moved. Stopped the other's hand from striking him. But instead he allowed himself to be hit, knowing that he did on some level deserve it and that maybe it would placate his master.

"Where have you been?" Ciel asked. "Don't lie to me! I want to know where it is you've been sneaking off to!"

Sebastian had not expected Ciel to find out that way, or any way for that matter. He was going to keep the secret of Elise secret but now that he'd been found out there was no point in lying about it. Especially since he was bound by contract not to. He sighed heavily and focused on the younger male in front of him, suspecting that he'd better answer soon, or Ciel might slap him again.

"I've been visiting a friend," Sebastian said.

The Earl's nose wrinkled at that and Sebastian fought the urge to laugh. There was a snort. "You don't have any friends."

"Actually," Sebastian said. "I do have friends. Believe it or not, I had an entire existence before you, hundreds of years in fact. I don't have a vast number, but there are some."

"So this _friend_ ," Ciel said. "Just fancied a chat with them at three in the morning?"

Ah, so he'd been awake since then. Well, that was only two hours. Sebastian had checked his pocket watch after leaving Elise's. He sighed heavily.

"Something like that," Sebastian replied. "They prefer the night really."

"Do they have a name?"

"Elise."

There was a shorter pause. "So it's a _woman_?"

"Well—yes," Sebastian said. "Don't tell me you're jealous, young master."

Ciel momentarily lost control of his stony expression. Sebastian could see the flush dusting the Earl's skin and the other coughed as though he'd choked on something. He recovered quickly and glared at Sebastian.

"No, I am not jealous," Ciel, said. "I am certain a lady of your kind would be less than refined."

"You'd be wrong," Sebastian said. "But that fact is neither here nor there. The point is, I am allowed to have friends, you've never said otherwise unless you're going to revoke that privilege right now."

"You've never mentioned them before," Ciel said. "Why now?"

"I've gotten a bit lonely for my fellows," Sebastian said. This actually was not a lie; living among humans for so long could at times become boring. "And she is my oldest and dearest. We've been discussing some demon matters."

"Like what?"

"Souls and things," Sebastian said. He allowed his eyes to glow. "How to best enslave humans."

Ciel rolled his eyes. Sebastian could still sense the anger rolling off of him, but at least the Earl was keeping himself in check. Though it still made him a bit uneasy the calmness of the situation. He'd have preferred if the other had yelled.

"I see," Ciel said. "Where does this friend live?"

"In France," Sebastian said. "Paris, to be exact."

Ciel glanced up and down Sebastian appraisingly. He was silent for a long time. Too long. The demon waited, wondering what was going to happen next. "Well, Sebastian this has probably got to be the largest transgression that you've committed in our time together. I told you not to lie to me, and I suppose you have not, but you've also kept information from me and that will not be tolerated."

"Yes, my lord." Sebastian said, wondering where this could be going.

"So, I think most proper course of action is for you to be punished," Ciel said. "Would you not agree?"

Sebastian didn't know how to respond to that. What did Ciel plan to do? Was he going to be beaten? Or ordered to do any number of ridiculous but humiliating things? He knew Ciel's mind was creative and not only when it came to business or investigations. He momentarily flashed back to Elise with her versatile corkscrew.

In the end he supposed that he should just accept it and endure whatever horrible consequence the Earl came up with. The sooner it was over, the sooner that Ciel's anger would ebb away. He bowed his head and nodded. "Yes, my lord."

Ciel tilted his head back and reached his arms behind him. Sebastian watched him untying the eye patch, slowly, his royal blue iris glaring at him. His mouth was pulled into a very disagreeable frown. The patch fell away, exposing the other eye, the one sealed with his contract mark. It glowed a brilliant violet in the darkened bedroom.

Then the Earl spoke, his voice low and serious. "I fancy a holiday. Take me to meet this friend of yours. That's an order."

* * *

 **So here we are with another exciting installment in this story. I've been feeling kind of sick the past few days and am super behind on my writing. I am gonna try to stay consistent and get back on track but if I don't I apologize in advance.**

 **Love you all.**

 **follow me on tumblr: nightmooncat**


	15. Chapter 15

Ciel could tell that Sebastian was surprised by his demand. Could see it in the way the brows crinkled between eyes that had begun to glow magenta with silent rage. The Earl felt a bit vindicated, seeing his own irritation and uncertainty reflected in the demon's features. Of course it didn't matter; he'd given an order and it was to be obeyed.

"Of course," Sebastian said. "Would you like to leave at once, my lord?"

The thinly disguised venom dripping from the words pricked Ciel's ears. He tilted his chin up. "No, of course not. I need at least a few days to settle things. We need to pack and get train tickets—I can't just flit away in an instant to another country. And though I don't much care about being rude in this particular situation, it would probably be prudent to let your… _friend_ know we will be visiting."

Sebastian bowed, hand over his chest. "As you wish."

"Then it's decided," Ciel said, as though there had been any argument. As though there _could_ be. "Now, I am going to bed. Alone. I'm will sleep as long into the morning as I wish since you are responsible for my not getting any rest. Now, go. And you are not allowed to leave the manor until I say so again."

He rose from the chair and stalked toward the bed, keeping his steps steady. He refused to look at Sebastian though he could feel the others gaze still burning a hole in the back of his head. Once he'd settled against the mattress, pulling the covers around him, he watched the bright square of light on the wall eclipse as the door was closed. It clicked with a soft snap and Ciel sighed, swallowing hard.

Sebastian hadn't lied to him, but he hadn't been entirely honest either. He supposed in a way that he couldn't begrudge the demon a friend, but this was the first he'd heard of it. Demons didn't seem like the type to need companionship, not outside of the kind that he shared with Ciel.

It hurt in a way that Ciel didn't understand. There were a lot of things happening that moved in a similar vein. Starting with the confession in the bathroom. If he thought about it, it conjured up a similar recollection of when Sebastian had coerced him into revealing how he felt five years before. The memory was fresh, as though it had just happened. He'd been sure nothing was going to come of it; Sebastian had never spoken about the matter again.

Perhaps this other demon was some sort of release for Sebastian. She was female allegedly, and Ciel wondered what she looked like. Perhaps he was no longer Sebastian's only partner. That idea made his stomach coil with ice. He refused to ask.

It probably had something to do with Ciel's upcoming marriage. Things were shifting and they were slowly spreading apart. He closed his eyes and drifted off in spite of the thoughts swirling in his head. His sleep was fitful, filled with broken dreams. When he finally rose for the day it was nearly noon. Sebastian had prepared lunch as though he'd been anticipating this, but the Earl ignored the demon and ate in silence.

He didn't know how else to feel. His skin was burning with irritation at the thought that Sebastian had lied to him. Not lied in a way that would breach the contract, but in a way that was worse. At least that was how it seemed to Ciel. He thought about the previous night, how they'd been in the bathroom. His stomach roiled.

This continued for a few days. Elizabeth stopped by and was quite surprised to learn about Ciel's upcoming trip. She pointed out that it seemed very sudden.

"This is true," Ciel said. "But it can't be helped. It sounded like a great opportunity, one that I simply could not pass up."

He'd told her that he was going to Paris due to business. This had seemed to be the most likely scenario, and the one that would be most easily believed. Preparations had been made over the course of the last week. Ciel had allowed Sebastian to go and alert Elise to their arrival. The butler hadn't said much on the matter, but he got the sense that she was eager for the visit. This left him with a very unsettled feeling, as he didn't know what to expect. He wondered if it had been a mistake after all.

In any case it was too late. He was sitting in a first class compartment with Sebastian sitting across from him. The Earl watched the countryside slip past out the windows without really focusing on it. He wanted to say something, but nothing seemed appropriate. There were no words to describe how he was feeling that he felt comfortable voicing out loud.

"She's not meeting us at the station, is she?" Ciel asked the morning of their arrival. The train would be coming to a stop very soon. He couldn't remember if Sebastian had said anything in regards to their travel arrangements after that.

"No," Sebastian said. "I had thought it might not be best to have the first meeting in such a public space. Elise can be a little arresting."

Ciel sniffed. "Indeed. I hope that you aren't planning some sort of ridiculous stunt."

"Like what?" Sebastian asked. "Like maybe she'd try and eat your soul instead. Sorry, but that would be impossible. Your soul is bound to me alone. Any other demon would die if they tried to take it. Even if they were my best friend."

The way Sebastian said it implied that the one attempting to steal his soul would be killed by the demon personally. It left a bit of warmth in Ciel's stomach that he viciously squashed down. He was not going to let Sebastian's words affect him. The demon would have to work a lot harder than that if he wanted to get back into Ciel's good graces. He sighed as the station came into view and the train rocked to a stop.

They took a carriage to Elise's house. Ciel marveled to himself at the city as the horses picked their way through the cobbled streets. He could see the Tower looming above in the distance over the tops of houses. Maybe he would make the journey there, seeing as he was in the area. He'd heard stories about it from others who had traveled to France and longed to see it for himself. However, it wasn't nearly as interesting as the matter at hand.

The blue door seemed deceiving. Innocent. Like the house didn't belong to a demon. He and Sebastian made their way up to the door. Sebastian knocked. There were a few long moments of silence. The only sounds that he could hear were the chatter and footsteps of the people behind him on the street. A soft exhale from one of the horses attached to the waiting carriage.

Ciel didn't know how he'd pictured Elise, but when she answered the door he felt as though a part of him had died. Though he had come to find he wasn't interested in women, even before he'd begun having feelings for Sebastian, he knew what it was that men found desirable about them. Elise possessed all of these traits.

His eyes scanned her from top to bottom. The dark golden hair that glittered in the mid-morning sunlight. Lips stained dark, like she'd eaten too many cherries. Her eyes sparkling like two chips of sea-glass. Cornflower. Ice. Her dress was extravagant. Plum velvet trimmed with shining threads that glittered, a thousand small stars along the cuffs and bodice. She looked ready to go to a very gallant party, not simply receive guests in her home.

Though he'd grown some over the years, Elise was a towering woman, probably only a couple inches shorter than Sebastian. Ciel found himself level with her ample breasts, pillowy soft and the color of milk. He swallowed and forced himself to raise his eyes to hers, hoping that his distress wasn't visible on his face.

He realized a moment later it wouldn't matter if he physically hid it, because she'd be able to sense it anyway. Smell it on him. Like a rotting carcass. It would be that strong.

To her credit, Elise simply smiled. "Earl Phantomhive, it's an honor to make your acquaintance. Please, do come in."

And Ciel allowed himself to enter the home of a devil.

He was struck by the opulence of the interior. He didn't know what he'd expected if he were being honest with himself. In his most cruel, feral thoughts perhaps he'd imagined something more akin to a cave or at the very least a brothel. Maybe some piles of bones. Human or animal, it would be impossible to tell.

Ciel realized of course how rude this was, but he couldn't help but feel a stab of jealousy as his eyes found Elise once more who was leading them through the halls. Sebastian followed, ever the silent shadow. Especially silent as of late since Ciel only spoke to him when necessary.

"Sebastian, go and get the luggage," Elise said. "Henry will show you to the accommodations."

Ciel was a bit startled by the sudden change in plans. He almost opened his mouth to tell the she-demon that he was the only one who was allowed to tell Sebastian what to do, but decided against it. Instead he supposed this might be a prime opportunity to get more information. It wasn't as though he couldn't do so with Sebastian present, but it might ease his anxiety a little. Besides, having the butler in the same room as him had become painful as of late.

"Yes, that sounds good," Ciel nodded. "Sebastian, do as she says."

"At once, my lord," Sebastian bowed and disappeared back down the hall.

They arrived in the kitchen. Sun splashed through the great windows that opened onto the garden in the back. He could see a rainbow of flowers waving in the late spring breeze. He glanced at the impeccably clean kitchen, guessing that it didn't see much use, since demons didn't require human sustenance. However, his eyes lit on the large collection of wine bottles that spanned a good portion of the opposite wall. Perhaps they did share some vices.

"Are you hungry?" She asked. "I sent the housekeeper to fetch some things from the market yesterday. Stocked it up with anything your English palate could desire."

"Not at the moment, thank you," Ciel said. He cleared his throat. "So, Elise, is it? I confess Sebastian has never mentioned you before."

"I don't imagine that he would," Elise said. "Sebastian may be a very dear friend, but we haven't spoken in quite some time. I won't say it's not been welcome to reconnect."

"Why _did_ you reconnect?" Ciel asked.

"Truthfully, I am still a bit confused about that as well," Elise said. "I don't even know if Sebastian fully knows. Seems he just desired to speak with someone of his own kind."

Ciel hummed. That was what Sebastian had said too. Elise could be lying to him as she didn't have any contractual obligation not to. However, it did appear she was telling the truth. It never really occurred to Ciel before that Sebastian might in fact get lonely. The demon never seemed to set much store in things like friendship.

"So," Her voice drew Ciel from his thoughts. "What made you come here?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Did Sebastian not tell you?"

True to his word, he had allowed Sebastian to travel and inform Elise that they would be visiting within a week's time. He'd not specified when they were going to leave, or the exact nature of their trip, but he had thought Sebastian might offer some sort of explanation.

"He told me that you found out we were friends and wished to meet me," Elise said. "For a nobleman, I did find it a bit surprising that you were inviting yourself over. Surely your parents raised you better."

"My parents are dead," Ciel, said, his tone like ice. "Even so, they believed in confronting things when they disrupt the order of your life."

"Indeed," Elise clicked her tongue. She made her way over to the wine wall and selected a random bottle. Ciel watched her fill a glass nearly to the top and then begin to drink it like it was water from the fountain of youth. When she'd finished she refilled and then stared at him. "Well, your life is about to get quite disorderly, isn't it?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ciel asked.

"You're getting married, aren't you?" She replied.

"Yes," Ciel said. The admission tasted bitter on his tongue. "But not for a while."

"You wish you weren't," Elise said. "At all."

"I can't change it," Ciel said. "It's my duty as Earl."

Elise shrugged. "That's perhaps true as an Earl, but what if you were someone different?"

"There's no point in asking insane questions like that," Ciel growled. "It doesn't make a difference. The only way my life will end up being altered is in the event that I can achieve my revenge on those who murdered my family. Then my contract with Sebastian will be complete and I will be dead as well. Those are the only two scenarios."

Elise sighed and Ciel watched half the second glass of wine disappear in a single swallow. She smiled at him over the rim.

"Then enjoy your holiday," She said. "Everyone deserves one once in a while."

Ciel wondered what else she might know. Had Sebastian told her about Marina? About the vampire situation as a whole? What if the demon had told his friend about their relationship? Well, the relations of it anyway. He felt his body heat with embarrassment at the thought.

He was about to reply when a handsome man appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. He strode into the room and Sebastian followed just behind him. The butler looked slightly annoyed but Ciel ignored it and focused on the newcomer who came over and held out a hand.

Ciel took it and gave it a hearty shake as the man nodded pleasantly at him. "Henry Avon, it's a pleasure to have you as our guest, Earl."

"Thank you," Ciel replied.

He wondered what relation Henry was to Elise. Perhaps he was _her_ butler or something, though he wasn't dressed in the appropriate fashion at all. He ran through the possibilities in his mind but the truth was revealed as he turned and crossed around the table in the center of the room.

The older male reached out for the she-demon and cupped her cheek as he pressed his lips against hers. Ciel wanted to look away but was a bit captivated since he never really saw people sharing such blatant affection. He wondered with vague interest if he and Sebastian looked that way, but supposed not. The moment passed and he cleared his throat.

Henry glanced over at him and Ciel felt his breath catch in his throat as he caught sight of the man's eyes. It was over so quickly he might have missed it but he was certain they glowed for a moment and he watched the pupils slitting before settling into a normal human-like circle. He gripped the table, now aware that he was not only in a house with two demons, but _three_ and only one of them was under his control.

Ciel knew that he had nothing to fear. Sebastian would protect him at all costs. However, it still caused him a bit of apprehension. He glanced over at his butler who had remained near the door; his ruby gaze was also fixed on the couple.

"Sebastian, is my room ready?" He asked.

"Yes, my lord," Sebastian replied. "Do you wish to see it?"

Ciel nodded. He left the kitchen without a backward glance at the two other beings in the room, though he was certain he could feel their eyes on the back of his head. It didn't matter though, he wanted time to be alone in his room and figure out a plan of action.

It had occurred to him shortly after entering the house that he really had no idea what he was doing there. He'd just been so irritated over the thought of Sebastian hiding something from him, having parts of his life that Ciel knew nothing about. He supposed in a way this was his own fault. Never before had he shown any kind of interest in Sebastian's life before he'd entered into service with Ciel. In truth he hadn't wanted to know, since it hadn't seemed to matter.

He climbed the stairs at Sebastian's side. Though he was still irritated with the other, he was glad to have him near. If he'd ever had something constant in his life after his family's murder, it was Sebastian's presence. The demon's aura surrounded him like a dark blanket and in a perverse way, he liked it.

Sebastian pushed open a door that led to a very spacious bedroom. There was another door off to the left that Ciel assumed contained the en-suite bathroom. Yes, it appeared that Elise and Henry were quite well off. Demons could truly get anything they desired.

He crossed to the windows that looked out into the front of the townhouse. They were on the third story and the ground looked quite far below. There were people milling around on the streets, busily going about their days. His eyes drifted upwards to stare at the houses facing them, all of them nearly identical with minor differences, the flowers in the window boxes, the swirling designs in the iron balconies. Above that he could see the tops of other houses and buildings, and in the near distance the great latticework skeleton of the Eiffel Tower.

"So," Sebastian said. His voice cut through the stillness of the room. Ciel turned to look at him. "Is this room to your liking?"

Ciel took another glance around. He gave the smallest of nods. "Yes, I think I shall find the accommodations suitable for the duration of our stay."

"Have you decided how long that is going to be?"

"No," Ciel said. "I suppose until I am ready to go back. Or something happens that makes it impossible for me not to return."

* * *

 **Hello everyone, I am sorry for my extended absence. I wasn't feeling very well and then life got a bit busy. I am still dreadfully behind on the writing but this is a little chapter I pounded out. I may have to cut my updates to once a week now. Just haven't been feeling super motivated. But I will finish my stories eventually. I thank you all for your patience.**

 **Dardar1: In a way yes, Elise is very good for both Ciel and Sebastian.**

 **HraMunro: thank you so much!**

 **a french girl: thank you! haha yes, I loved Ciel in that scene. So angry, so amusing.**

 **promocat: thank you so much. But no. Ciel will never admit he's jealous.**

 **LonelyStargazer: thank you so much. I am physically better, but the writers block is still kind of there. I read your latest chapter as well, and loved it I just never got around to leaving a proper comment. But it was REALLY good.**

 **wolves4life38: Well, up until about two weeks ago I was very consist. This one updated twice a week (Tue & Thur) and my other Kuro fic once a week (Sun) but now I've had trouble keeping up with that schedule so I'm unsure. Hopefully at least once a week or every two weeks. All I know is I won't abandon the project.**


	16. Chapter 16

Ciel decided he wanted to relax for a bit in his room, leaving Sebastian to his own devices. This suited the demon fine since he still wasn't entirely sure how he felt about the situation. He'd never intended for his master and Elise to cross paths, ever, at least not in a scenario where the former still retained his humanity. That was a whole other issue entirely, since Ciel was still quite angry with him and he didn't imagine that the Earl would be at all open to what Sebastian hoped for the future.

Sebastian wondered how long they would end up imposing on Elise and Henry's hospitality. When he'd visited her to inform her of Ciel's demand she'd told him that they were welcome for as long as they wished, and smirked at him as though she'd been expecting this all along. Regardless of what Ciel wanted, the demon knew that eventually they would have to return to England, as it wouldn't do for his master to be away for too long. Especially with his upcoming wedding and the threat of Marina hovering over the city.

He'd tried once unsuccessfully to point out that the vampire would probably hear of Ciel's departure and use this as a prime opportunity to strike. The butler wasn't sure exactly what she would do outside of slaughtering more innocents, but that was still troublesome in itself to any human with a heart. Ciel had dismissed the argument, though Sebastian could sense that his words had not been lost on the Earl.

Being in Elise's home did allow for some degree of rest for Sebastian. Since everyone within was well aware of his true nature he didn't have to be as careful when concealing it. He'd found himself in the library, reading over the book Elise had given him when he'd come by the night Ciel confronted him about his whereabouts.

Though the Earl had largely ignored him, he'd had little time to read it as the younger male had kept him busy with a slew of pointless, menial tasks. Between those and being confined to the inside of the manor, Sebastian had become rather irritable. He refused to show the affect Ciel's indifference was having on him.

He flipped another page. This had turned out to be the most exciting volume yet. As usual, Elise was once again correct. The process of turning Ciel into a demon wasn't going to be an easy one, though he supposed nothing truly worth doing ever was. However, he knew from his experience with Elise in regards to Henry over the years, that it was the best method. The one that would retain the most of Ciel as he was at the present, only changing him physically.

It was going to require sacrifice from both of them. Willingly given. Sebastian's eyes scanned along the lines of Elise's neat looped script, feeling a bit of apprehension tug inside him for the first time. He wanted Ciel, wanted him so badly that he could taste the victory that hung so close in front of his nose. Of course there were obstacles, the least of which was the Earl's coldness toward him. That he assumed would pass eventually, but other things were not so easily cleared.

He paused, listening to footsteps making their way down the hallway. Whoever it was, was making no effort to be quiet and he sighed in slight exasperation as Elise entered the room. She made her way over to him, settling in the wingback opposite him, arranging her skirts around her.

"Thought you might be holed up in here," She said. Her eyes flicked toward the book. "Finding that an interesting read?"

"Indeed," Sebastian said. "The process is a little more involved than I had thought."

Elise smirked. "Which is exactly why I told you that you needed to read _all_ of them. To make sure that this is something you feel strongly about, something you really want. There's no turning back once it's done."

Sebastian marked his place and set the book aside. He was almost done with it, but he'd already gotten through all the meatier parts. He stared around the room, unsure of what to say next, hating feeling helpless in a situation. He supposed that he might get used to that since it appeared he was going to be in for a lot of similar discomfort to come.

"It sounds painful," Sebastian said.

"It is," Elise said. "The merging process isn't easy, for the human or the demon. You'll feel as though your entire body is being poked and beaten and ripped apart, only to be reassembled as something that is both the same and entirely different."

"That doesn't make sense," Sebastian said.

"Sure it does," Elise replied. "You will be the same, but also different. Simply because you'll each contain part of the other."

Sebastian hummed. "So you just carved off a piece of Henry's soul? He was alright with that?"

One of Elise's perfect brows arched. "Well, considering he also got some of my core, yes."

Sebastian glanced out the window. The sun was still beaming down over the garden. Ever since Elise had pointed out the possibility of Ciel shattering his core, Sebastian had been afraid of it. The demon wasn't normally scared of anything, but this was something he had no control over. He'd already fallen for Ciel and therefore opened himself up to the prospect, as much as he tried to ignore it. Now with the Earl being angry with him, he knew that he should make it right as soon as he could.

"That sounds terrible," Sebastian said.

"It is unpleasant," Elise admitted. "But once it's over everything's fine. Better actually. You need to make things right with him though, otherwise it won't end well."

She rose and began to leave. Sebastian sighed. "At this point it'll probably just make him even more angry with me."

"You have to at least try," Elise said. "What does he like? There has to be something you could offer him that would have him warm towards you again."

She exited the library, closing the door behind her. Sebastian thought about her words. Of course he knew what the Earl liked. He enjoyed sweets and games. And relations. Though not necessarily in that order.

He glanced at his pocket watch. It was getting close to lunchtime. He supposed that he should get started on the preparations, though Ciel hadn't indicated that he had any desire to eat.

The demon tucked the journal back in his tailcoat and left the room, deciding that he would look in on Ciel and see how his master was doing. He climbed the stairs to the top floor, paused outside the door and knocked, wondering what sort of greeting he'd receive. Ciel's voice sounded from the other side and Sebastian opened the door, letting himself into the room.

Ciel was sitting near the fireplace, looking over some papers. A quick glanced told Sebastian they were notes in regards to the business they had left behind in London, namely that of Marina Beaumont. The Earl had arranged them out over the rug in front of the chair he was reclined in.

His eyes flicked up toward Sebastian and the demon was a bit surprised to see he wasn't wearing his eye patch. It appeared that Ciel also took comfort in the fact that he didn't have to conceal the contract. The benefits of being a guest in a house of creatures who only resembled humans in appearance.

Sebastian stared at the eye that contained the seal, his mark, and felt a bit of a tugging within him. He quickly averted his gaze and motioned toward the papers.

"Is your examination going well?"

"No," Ciel said. He frowned. "What is it? Did you need something?"

"Not in particular," Sebastian said. "However, it will be lunchtime soon, so I was curious if you had any specific requests. Elise has provided quite an assortment of ingredients so I should be able to prepare you anything you wish."

Ciel went back to staring at the papers but his eyes weren't fixed on anything in particular, letting the demon know that the Earl just wanted to avoid looking at him. He contemplated marching over and grabbing the other's face, forcing those mismatched eyes to stare into his, pressing his lips against Ciel's mouth, releasing them from their tight frown. He was quite certain that the action would not be appreciated and would probably earn him another slap or worse.

At long last, the younger male shook his head. "No. Something light should suffice. But I want a large dinner and I want those others who live in this house to attend it as well, though they don't eat… _food_."

The last word was spat out with a little more venom, but Sebastian took no offense. It was true. He wondered what the purpose of this dinner was, suspecting that Ciel probably wanted to learn more about those that he was staying with. This wouldn't have been a problem under normal circumstances but Sebastian didn't want the truth of his reconnection with Elise to come out on the table. At least not yet.

"Of course, my lord," Sebastian said. He supposed that he should have left the room and made himself scarce but instead he continued to stand there.

"What _is_ it?" Ciel asked. His brows were knit between his eyes. He was irritated. Exactly what Sebastian didn't want.

"I wanted to apologize for not being forthcoming with you about my friendship with Elise," Sebastian said.

"Save it," Ciel rolled his eyes. "You're not sorry, just sorry that you got caught. I'll admit though you did keep up the façade for quite some time, longer than I'd have thought possible given the circumstances. I suppose it was only too easy after I'd fallen asleep. The mistake was doing it during my waking hours as well."

"As usual, nothing gets past you," Sebastian replied.

"No," Ciel said. "I make it my business to know what is going on with all of my servants, especially you. You are my most faithful, or at least you were."

"You think I am not still loyal to you?" Sebastian asked. He noted as he said it, that the tugging inside him flared again.

 _No! He must not think that._

Sebastian moved toward the Earl a couple of steps, then held back as he realized what he was doing.

"I must admit, I am a little unsure," Ciel said. "Though I guess that I should be correct in assuming you still are. Otherwise, I am sure something might have happened to the contract. That does bind both of us to its will. To the terms we mutually agreed on. Given the fact that you haven't burst into a pile of sulfuric ash, I think it's safe to say that part of the bargain is still intact."

The Earl rose from the chair and picked his way around the papers strewn across the carpet. He came to stand in front of Sebastian, his eyes still hard, but a slight smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. Wordlessly, he pulled the demon's face toward his, pressing their foreheads together. Sebastian could feel Ciel's breath, wanted to lean forward, but resisted.

"I plan to enjoy myself here," Ciel said. "This is actually going to be as much of a holiday as it is a chance to distance myself from the problems plaguing London. And so… though I might be angry with you, you are mine to do with as I wish."

"This is true," Sebastian said. He forced the hunger within him to quell as he stared at the mismatched eyes of his master, annoyed but dark with lust. He could smell the arousal coming off the other in waves and the small upturn in the corner of Ciel's lip proved the younger male was completely aware of the fact.

"So," The demon licked his lips, pushing his tongue past his fangs. He ached to kiss Ciel. Resisted still. "What is it that you wish?"

"Right now?" Ciel asked. "You to get started on the bloody lunch."


End file.
